The BORDER 100 was originally conceived in 2018 – as an excuse to celebrate and cherish the valor and supreme sacrifices of Indian soldiers in the Battle of Longewala. 120 jawans of the 23rd Battalion, Punjab Regiment, held this post for the entire night until they were reinforced the next day. We devote this ultra-marathon to the martyrs and the brave soldiers who confronted the Pakistani soldiers that entire night. Besides, if the world can celebrate stories like that of Troy, 300 and Sparta, we thought why can’t us Indians give the world a unique medium to celebrate this pack of extraordinary Indians who gave up everything to stand for their land and its values. Generations would run from within the heart of the Golden City of Rajasthan, and face the geography of the great Indian Thar to reach the Indian part of the Indo-Pak Border at Laungewala post of the Indian Army – all of it to keep the story and memory of this battle alive!
RACE DETAILS
- Categories: 100 MILE / 100 KM / 50 KM
- Cut-Off: 28 HRS / 16 HRS / 8 HRS
- Terrain: Desert, Flat Course, Part rolling, Dry
- Location: Jaisalmer, Rajasthan, India
- Daytime Temperature: 30°C / 22°C
- Evening/ Night Temperature: 9°C / 0°C
- Daylight Hours: 12
- Airport: Jaisalmer, Jodhpur
- Event Duration: 2 Days
THE CHALLENGE
The BORDER 100 is infamous as one of the flattest 100-mile races in India. However, this race route tests a runner's mettle in the last 40 kilometers where the rolling ups and downs through extensive infinity of sand dunes pose extreme challenges to a broken mind and body. The race starts at 1200 HOURS in the afternoon and the runners are exposed to the harsh bright sun of Jaisalmer city and its outskirts. Climatically, there are strong headwinds usually and survival on appropriate hydration becomes key. While the runners are pampered by warm and enchanting sunsets, the only hope of light courtesy of the full moon baits them into the loneliness and chills of sub-zero nights of the desert.
Basically, we have attempted to design the BORDER 100 to simulate the challenges faced by the battalion of Major Kuldeep Singh Chandpuri through different stages of their task of holding the ground. However, to sum up, this entire race route is a mix of barren-beautiful landscapes painted by mesmerizing sunsets. In the three editions that we have hosted this race, we have witnessed some significant achievements across all the categories of the race.
