Himalayan 100 Mile Stage Race
The Race Goes Full Circle
Rob Howard / 29.10.2010
Day 5, the final day of the Himalayan 100 mile stage race began where it finished yesterday at the Palmajua Forest Bungalow. After a 5am breakfast of porridge, boiled eggs and potatoes (what else?), and a bus ride, the runners were assembled ready for the last stage. This was a 27km stage which would complete their Himalayan circuit and take them back to Maneybhajang, where they set out from 5 days ago.It was to be an uphill start, for the first 10km, then downhill all the way to the finish. The majority naturally walked the climb (power walkers do well on the uphills in this race), but the leaders were going to give their all on the run into the finish and still had it in their legs to run the whole stage. As the road climbed up into the forest some substantial gaps opened up at the front.
Having lost a stage for the first time yesterday Fernando Rodriguez wasn’t going to let John Green get away again and the two of them set a blistering pace, side by side for every stride, neither giving an inch. They were well ahead of German racer Christian Scheurerer, who was hoping to close in on a podium place with his strong finish to the race. Then came the chasing pack of 3 Spanish racers, which included women’s leader Monica Aguilera, and Meritxell Llinas, who was racing for second or third, with British runner Joanne Plumbley.
The road wound up to the top of the pass, but not as steeply as many already encountered, and after passing some prayer flags and monuments, passed through a small town on the ridge crest. There was an aid station here and a sizeable crowd, including some school children who were welcoming the runners ...then mimicking their running action behind their backs! Today was much cooler and on the summit some low cloud was hovering around, so the runners had the optimum conditions to finish the race.
The descent to the finish took them through a beautiful rich pine forest, with many varieties of mature trees and no villages. The road wound downwards, not too steeply, and after passing the final aid station the town of Maneybhajang came into view below them. Paul Stonely from the UK said, “I’ve never been so pleased to see a village in my life!�
The finish was on the outskirts of the town by a national park visitor centre, and once again musicians and school children lined both sides of the final run in to the tape. First to cross the line was the race winner Fernando Rodriguez, outsprinting John Green by 3 seconds! Green had thought they’d cross the line together, but Rodriguez was having none of it and raced in claim his 4th stage victory. “I had to win today,� he said. “This is the first race I have ever won and I didn’t expect to do so well. At home I only run trail races, and have never entered a stage race before.� Green just said; “He was too quick for me!� The overall winning time for Rodriguez was 16 hours and 23 minutes, 33 minutes ahead of Green.See All Event Posts
