Himalayan 100 Mile Stage Race

Day 5, Palmajua to Maneybhajang

Anne-Marie Dunhill / 09.11.2012

The last stage took the race full circle with runners and walkers finishing in the town in which the race started on Monday, Maneybhajang. Once again it was a stunning stage over 17 miles, ideally suited for road runners. Today’s race began with an uphill start from Palmajua where the race section had finished yesterday. Dressed in a brown track suit, race director, Mr. Pandey, led the group out.

The race route was an uphill climb through lush pine forests with giant ferns and insects chattering noisily. Kanchenjunga mountain was again visible from the road as racers reached the top and began a steady descent in to the finish line. The battle for rankings amongst the men continued in the front of the pack. Elisabeth Weil continued to be the unchallenged leader among  the women and one point on this stage she also passed the group of lead men which included her husband Kevin.

Rick Vercoe from the UK clearly loved this section as at one point he raced the press jeep in a flat out down hill sprint in a textbook perfect sprinting position. (Or perhaps his sprint was to try to avoid the billowing black cloud of diesel invariably emitted by all vehicles in these parts.) Burt Keely from the US reached the top gasping for air but he had said he was going to go all out on this last stage and he did, running what his friend Elisabeth Weil called “irregular intervals” to finish strong.

Overall women's winner Elisabeth said at the finish line that she had not walked a single step on this last stage, as she formulated it, “I just went Elisabeth pace.” The finish line was an emotional moment for all participants, be they walkers or runners, top ranking or struggling. Elisabeth who had appeared so confident and slightly aloof throughout the five days had tears streaming down her face as she said that she really didn’t think she could do this race. She had never run these distances before and illness made the last day particularly difficult in terms of proper nutrition and hydration. She added that cranking up  her 80’s playlist was the only way that she was able to finish so strongly. Music was also a powerful motivator for Tristan Heywood; coming down the last stretch with Foreigners “I want to know what love is” playing, the pristine white peak of Kanchenjunga in the distance and the race finish only a few miles away, he was moved to tears