324 runners participate in 100 mile Manjushree Trail Race that kicks off from Friday

KATHMANDU, April 06: The fourth edition of Manjushree Trail Race has kicked off from today morning with 324 national and international runners.

Claimed as country's first 100 miler ultra marathon along the ridge of the Kathmandu Valley, the race started from Single Tree at Ichangu Narayan.

Organized by the Manjushree Trail Race in association with Trailmandu, the runners including 40 runners from 8 countries will pass through Jamacho, Mudkhu, Garje Bhangjyang, Baghdwar, Chisapani, Jhule, Nagarkot, Kalamashi Buspark, Sanga bridge among others places before ending up at where it started, said the organizers.

The three-day event will also feature three races of various categories such as 100-km, 50-km and 10-km. While the 100-km race will start from the Hill Vision Resort at Jhule at 3 pm today itself, the 50-km race will kick off from the Hotel Pateshwor Lodge at Badikhel from 6 am on coming Wednesday. 

Similarly, the 10-km race will commence and from the Solid Rock Lodge at Dolu at 8 am on coming Wednesday, informed Director of the Race, Ashish Mishra.

Among the runners, 289 are female and remaining are males, added Director Mishra. There are 19 check points in the trail to facilitate the runners where food, water and basic medicines have been put in place for those needing them.

The trail was first envisioned by renowned runners like Lizzie Hawker, Seth Wolphin and Roger Henken in 2015 while Jimmy Oostrom, Raj Pradhan and Narayan Acharya had repeatedly mapped the trail with alternative routes.

The first runner in the 100 mile race will receive a medal and Rs 60,000 cash prize while those coming second will take home a medal and Rs 40,000 while those finishing third will get a medal and Rs 20,000, it was shared.

The first five runners winning the 100-mile, 100-kilometre and 50-kilometre race will be automatically qualify for the Asia Trail Masters, which is an internationally-recognized trail race series in Asia.

It is held in Hong Kong and managed by Kuai Sports Promotions Limited. Asia Trail Masters is also an annual championship based on transparent and easy point system.