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Number of Participants: 40
Managed by Karni Kripa Tours Pvt. Ltd. Jaipur.
Karni Kripa is the sister concern of Know Well India Tours Pvt. Ltd. Jaipur.
A unique marathon race was organized in the year 2003 from 30th November to 04th December from Bikaner to Jaisalmer in the western part of India . This was the first time that any marathon is done in this part of the world. At least 40 tourist from France, Britain and Denmark were participated in the event and one Mr. completed the 333 kilometer marathon in 24 hours time running non stop from starting point to the ending point at Jaisalmer. It was a men verses nature race to see the capability of men against harsh weather conditions in the dry desert terrain. The weather conditions are at its extreme in this desert. Winter is freezing cold and in the summer the temperature reaches to 48 degree Celsius.
The main part of the event, the marathon was divided into 15 leaps, each consisting 20 to 25 kilometers distance. A tented camp was pitched at every leap interval, where the participants can rest and have some refreshment if they need. Five tented
halts for the night with all the bedding facility, dinner and cultural evening was the attraction for every participant. Medical assistance and massage were also made available for the runners.
Interesting Incidents
Runners, who were running during night hours, were using head lights to see around them. Second night when two of the runners running on the Bikaner- Jaisalmer high way, one truck driver who was going head of them noticed two red lights following his truck. He slowed dawn his truck to see these lights carefully and when he saw two white men running on the road at those dark hours of the night, he thought them the ghosts and suddenly stopped the truck and ran away shouting Ghost ! Ghost ! Ghost!
Comments of Participants
Nicolas (From France )
It was a perfect track to run in pollution free fresh air. Organizers even thought about mobile medical assistance, massage and hot water to meat any unseen circumstances.
Adam (British)
Well organized event. I would love to come back to explore the western desert of India with my girl friend. Nice people, colorful outfits and decorated mud houses with no modern facilities
will stay in my memories for a very long time. I am still amazed to think about Mr. Singh, how calmly he managed the entire event. He was very calm during all the time and no one can make out this man was after all the management.
Comments from Director’s Desk
Now I can breathe properly. Every one appreciated the entire event but we our self know, what circumstances we have gone through. At one point of time I literally gave up hopes to organize this event but then I thought that I am born to a warrior family whose ancestors have spent their half of the life in the battle field. This gave me an inspiration that if I would have been in the army and this type of situation emerged in front of me then certainly I would have not given up any hope and would be fighting till the end like a true solder.
Actually this was very first day of the marathon and I was standing in the front long of Lalgarh Palace Bikaner. All my vehicles were lined up to move with the tents, equipments and all other kind of supplies. All of sudden the RTO (state transport officer) came with the police and ceased all my jeeps and mini truck which were supposed to carry all the equipments in advance. This was the state assembly election time and the RTO was authorized to take any commercial vehicle under his custody to use it for the election duty. We literally cried in front of the RTO if he can at least free our two jeeps and one mini truck but he refused. Finally we managed to hire couple of mini buses and loading auto rickshaws to transport all the tents, equipment and the supply. This was a real tough challenge to manage any kind of transport during election time and that is on the last minute , when you are supposed to move fast to make all the arrangements.
Overall it was a wonderful experience. We really enjoyed the event. We were bit confused at the planning stage and prepared with all kind of luxury facilities but when we had the final meeting with the main organizer the actual requirement was very simple and the participants were actually looking forward to complete the 333 kilometer race with the minimum facilities.
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