Race Report - The Silk Route Ultra Trail Run 2026 - 55Km

Prelude - the journey there

I left Delhi on the night of 8 April, bound for Shimla with a friend. The trip felt cinematic: train to Kalka, the toy train to Shimla, a rented bike and a night in a rain-and-hail-soaked town that felt colder than I’d prepared for. News came in that Narkanda and Hatu Peak were buried in deep snow — two feet in places — and for a moment I seriously considered turning back and coming better prepared next year. In the end I chose to continue.

At the expo and briefing on 10th April in Narkanda I found comfort in familiar faces — inspirations like Kashyap sir, Tenzin Dolma, Sudhanshu - and in gear conversations with Rohan and Arnam from Tripole and Tanmay from earlier race at Panikot by CapitalTrails. Seeing the poles, the clothing and the community around me helped steady the nerves. I double-checked my kit: two 500 ml flasks, a 2 L bladder, 12 gels, salt caps, and a light jacket that would soon feel inadequate.

Race morning - nerves, fuel and the plan

Race started for 55k category at 05:45. The air had that thin, electric chill that makes you feel alive and small at once. I ate bananas, sandwiches, eggs and potatoes, filled my bottles with electrolytes, and set a simple nutrition plan: one gel every 45 minutes, salt caps every 30 minutes, and to eat freely at aid stations (13K, 30K, 45K).

The plan was straightforward: respect the climbs, be conservative on the downhills, and keep moving. I’m always more nervous before the race than during it — that familiar flutter that sharpens focus. The mantra I had – don’t fall.

During the race - the story of snow, slips and stubbornness

The first 7 km felt deceptively easy: downhill speed, then trail, then the first big climb to Hatu Temple. Snow appeared early and I found myself chanting a mantra: “Do not fall.” At the Hatu top I let gravity take me — and then I slipped on melted snow. I hit the ground hard, blood on my right knee, shock and cold setting in. For a few minutes I questioned everything.

But the race has a way of clarifying priorities: keep moving. I warmed my knee with my gloved hand, slowed the pace, and found stability again on snowy descents. The feeling I

came for returned — focus, control, and presence.

Aid stations were lifesavers. At the first one I salted my banana, downed salty peanuts and took on electrolytes. The climb to Kot Kali (the highest point of the race) — was a grind through deep snow, mud and steep pitches. I fall multiple times on the slippery slopes; one fall was particularly hard and forced me to slow down and respect the terrain.

Between 27K and 30K I ran with a 100K runner-up who was struggling with hydration and shoes with ankle twisted. We shared water and conversation; small acts like that kept both of us moving. At 30K I hit 5:50 on my watch — exhausted but still moving toward a new goal: finish under 11 hours. The course after 30K opened into ridge running with sweeping valley views, but the technical downhills and narrow jungle sections later

would take everything out of my legs.

The last 10 km was brutal. Narrow, technical descents battered my knees (especially the right one), and a final 1 km climb with nearly 250 m elevation gain felt like the race’s final exam. The last 10 km took almost three hours; I crossed the finish at 11:50 — relieved, humbled and already planning how to do it better next time.

After the silk route ultra trail run- reflections and lessons

Crossing the finish line felt like a small, private victory and a loud, public lesson. I learned, again, and more clearly, that there is no tough race — you are under-prepared. My checklist for the next build is already long:

• Elevation-specific strength work (hill repeats, loaded hikes)

• Higher weekly mileage with long back-to-back days

• Poles and pole technique - I’ll buy them and practice them before the next race

• Nutrition and hydration rehearsals under fatigue and cold

Suggestions for the race organizers

The Silk Route course is spectacular, and the on-route support was excellent — markings

were clear and volunteers were everywhere. A few suggestions to make the event safer and more consistent:

• Stricter entry checks for categories. Several runners appeared under-equipped for the distances they attempted. Entry criteria and mandatory kit checks would reduce risk.

• Mandatory trail shoes for technical categories. Road shoes were common during the race and dangerous in snow and steep descents.

• Clearer hydration requirements. Encourage or require minimum carrying capacity for longer categories. A lot of runners were running without hydration packs and water even for 55k and 102k categories.

• Weather contingency communication. In 2025 I heard it was raining, in 2026 it’s high-

  altitude snow. Provide clearer guidance on mandatory kit for all weather conditions.

Advice for future participants

If you’re thinking of The Silk Route Ultra Trail Run -

• Treat it like a mountain expedition, not a long road run. Don’t go just by the distance, It’s way more than that.

• Train for elevation and technical terrain. Practice descents and run on ridgelines.

• Carry poles and learn to use them. They save knees and energy on steep sections. I made this mistake.

• Rehearse nutrition and hydration. Eat early, eat often, and practice in cold conditions. I forgot to take 2 gels in the end. Mind played trick that I didn’t have any, but I had 2 more gels in the bag which I later realized after the race.

• Choose trail shoes with good grip. Road shoes on snow and mud are a liability. Even if the organizer does not make them mandatory, as trail runners we should always run with them.

• Respect the weather. Always check forecasts for start and high points; pack for worst-case scenarios. I didn’t pack for such cold weather.

Final thoughts

The Silk Route Ultra Trail 55K is beautiful, brutal and deeply rewarding. I finished in 11:50, exhausted and wiser. I’ll return — stronger, better prepared, and with poles in hand. If you go, bring respect for the mountain, a solid kit, and an appetite for the unexpected.

Strava activity

My Strava activity (detailed splits, elevation and point-wise times):

Use the Strava embedded above to inspect split times, elevation profile and pointwise timestamps that informed the times and checkpoints I mention in this report. Feel free to ask any questions about this race or any other races that I have run in the comments section. I will be more than happy to help in any way possible.

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This post was voluntarily written and shared by a CapitalTrails member, and all experiences and opinions shared in the race report are the author's own.