Jatin Chhetri, a 46-year-old policeman from Darjeeling who’s an amateur runner, ran 556.3km over a span of 10 days to win the 10-Day Max Mileage Challenge, an “open category event” whose results were announced on Wednesday evening. First and second runners-up Ashis Subba and Tenzing Chombay, also amateurs from Darjeeling, covered 541.06km and 495.9km, respectively.
Eight runners, including woman athlete Sunita Subba, ran more than 35km a day continuously for 10 days in this “virtual tournament” held by Darjeeling MTB (Mountain Bike) Club and Edwards Foundation, called virtual because all its 82 participants had to record the distances on apps and submit them to organisers.
But the amounts of running done during the event have alarmed professional runners and doctors.
Bikash Dewan, a doctor attached with the Yuma Nursing Home, said: “It is not medically sound for people to run so much.”
The doctor said that while physical activity was good, excessive running could damage the body.
“One should be properly trained before such runs. Hydration at all times is vital, not just with water but witelectrolytes as well. Excessive running could result in muscle breakdown,” Dewan said.
Agreed Roshini Rai, a hill runner who had participated in the 89km Comrades Marathon in South Africa (2012) and 100km Bangalore Ultra Marathon in 2015.
“People aim for records but this kind of running can damage the body,” she said.
“Professional runners clock some 100km in a week,” Roshini added, emphasising the importance of spacing out the exertion.
“Even to prepare for a full marathon (42km), professionals follow a tapering schedule. Running long distance continuously is not advisable for anyone,” said Roshini.
In the Darjeeling virtual run, the 82 participants could run or even walk as much as they could, record the distance in mobile apps and finally submit their app data by 5pm everyday.
The event carried cash awards of Rs 20,000, Rs 10,000 and Rs 5,000 for the top three runners. “It was an open category, the only criterion was the distance covered,” said Dawa Gyalpo, an organiser.
But even Gyalpo admitted that they were “surprised with the level of competitiveness”.
Winner Jatin admitted that “competition became very intense.”
“On one particular day, I ran for 10 hours,” said the 46-year-old. “On the first three days, I ran for 13km, 24km and 30km but others had already completed 91km during that time. I did not want to lose this competition,” he admitted frankly. “Eventually, I picked up pace. “I then covered more than 60km for four continuous days and on two other days I covered 80km and 85km a day each.”