Remember that feeling of taking in a deep breath of pure clean air; to feel invigorated and alive. Such is the charm of running in the alpine meadows, pine forests and feeling the serenity of the Bir Billing Valley. The pre-monsoon season in the hills of Himachal is perfect for long-distance runs. While the tricky terrain keeps you on your toes – often literally – the cool wind blowing in your face and hair gives you that runner’s momentum, and the drive to carry on.
Known as the Hell Race, which is a series of endurance races featuring mountain biking and running, and the first event – a Bir Billing Half Marathon– is taking place a month from April 16, 2017.
The climbs on the rough mountain of Bir Billing terrain will make you grasp for breath very often. The Race Route is a mix of tarmac and jeep track on rolling terrain. Feel the true essence of a quaint Himalayan valley steeped in Buddhist culture, as you run past small settlements, fields, meadows, streams, rivers, and monasteries.
Also, combine your run with loads of other adventures activities. Experience the joy of staying in nature’s midst, in a village raised exclusively for fellow runners and their companions. Known for being the world’s second best paragliding destination, Bir Billing hosted India’s first Paragliding World Cup in October 2015. Runners can treat themselves to a bird’s eye view of the valley with a tandem paragliding flight after the race.
The event is organized by a team of adventurers, racers, mountaineers and outdoor photographers with the knowledge and background in endurance races. Having traveled and participated in races around India, we know what India lacks in terms of endurance races and how we can do it better – together.
The Hell Race offers a platform to newbies so that they have a motivation and knowledge from the very beginning and have something to look forward to in their own country. Many endurance athletes these days go to North America and mostly Europe to participate in the races which in turn incurs high expenses. The terrain in India is very conducive to organize these races. The people from Hell Race team aims to bring them to the Indian audience with proper infrastructure and safety measures.
