Adventure racing is a multidisciplinary sport that combines navigation, cycling, running, hiking, and often includes kayaking, swimming, abseiling, and other local activities unique to the race location.
We are Team SkyRunners, one of India’s top adventure racing teams. By profession, we’re software engineers and accountants—but what truly brings us together is our passion for the trail running. We’re trail runners first, and adventure racers second.
Adventure Race Mechukha
The recent adventure race held in Mechukha, Arunachal Pradesh, this April was the 3rd National Adventure Race and served as the qualifier for the Asia Championship 2025. It was organized by combined efforts of Nth Adventure organisation and Arunachal Pradesh Government.
Race Format
Before race day, each team receives a logistics sheet and two large gear bags to pack food, clothing, and other essentials they may need during the race. In the logistic sheet, multiple Transition Areas (TA) and Check Points (CP) are mentioned. For each CP, a clue is given, like a puzzle, which teams must solve to confirm that they are at the right CP.
The race follows a fixed sequence, requiring teams to reach each TA while covering all CPs in the order specified. Navigation is done using a set of maps provided by the organizers. To verify that all CPs have been visited, teams carry a “passport” which must be punched at every checkpoint using a unique punch placed there. A volunteer at each CP ensures no checkpoints are skipped.
At transition areas, teams report to a marshal to record their check-in time. After collecting supplies for the next leg, they check out with the marshal and proceed. Any deviation from the course or process results in a time penalty, making precision just as important as speed.
The Start
The race kicked off with a 28KM MTB ride on a rolling road which was primarily an uphill road. Right from the start, every team started as if it was sprint race, pushing on top of our lung capacities. The race was intense. The teams with strong cycling background quickly took advantage of this leg, gaining a significant early lead.
The Stupidity
While riding uphill, I spotted some photographers and thought it would be great to get a picture of all four of us riding side by side, covering the full width of the road. I asked Brahadessh and Lipi to squeeze in a bit, but in the process, Lipi’s handlebar got tangled with another bike and she fell down. She ended up with bruises on her knee. We did get the photo—but definitely not the way I had imagined.
The Unwanted Guest
At TA01, we parked our bikes and started running toward the first checkpoint. This leg involved a 4 km run and hike, and things took a tough turn early on—Brahadeesh and Lipi started cramping, which was a cause for concern. The race had just begun, and we knew we had a long way to go. We quickly used some spray, and kept moving forward. We managed to cover both checkpoints and returned to the TA, where we refilled our bottles, mixed in electrolytes, and got back on our bikes.
The next segment was a 13 km cycling stretch, which thankfully worked as a recovery ride for all four of us. Luckily, both Lipi and Brahadeesh got rid of their cramps, and we reached TA02 feeling a bit more settled.
From there, we had another 4 km run and hike. After finishing the hike, punching in the checkpoint, we hopped back on our bikes and began the 14 km ride to TA03.
The Home Ground
At TA03, we took a quick break—grabbed some fruits and chocolates, filled our bottles, and packed a few sweet parathas for the road ahead. The next leg was a 18 km run and hike with 10 checkpoints to cover. As I said, we all are trail runners first and adventure racers second, this was our time to take the lead.
Our captain and navigator, Santhosh, had done an excellent job marking the checkpoints with precision. We moved efficiently from one CP to the next, wasting no time. The terrain was brutal, with steep climbs that tested both our strength and stamina. But we stayed focused, determined to close the gap on the teams ahead.
We did lose our way briefly while searching for CP7, but quickly corrected course and were back on track. We then covered CP8 and CP9 without wasting any time, and by the time we reached CP9, we had moved into 3rd position. There was still a long stretch of hiking and running left, and we were confident that we could chase down more teams before the leg was over.
The Blunder
We kept a steady pace and made our way toward CP10 and CP11, both located on a hill with a steep climb. After marking them on the map, we began the ascent. We were happy that the team behind us was not in our sight, which gave us confidence that we’d gained a solid lead. Or so we thought.
When we reached the top of the hill, we were met with complete surprise—there was no checkpoint. We double-checked the map, and everything pointed to the hill we had just climbed. After giving it another thought, Santhosh spotted a nearby hill, and we decided to give that one a try. This second hill was even steeper, covered in thick knee-high bushes. We reached the top and found nothing but air, more bushes and fading light.
Now we were sure we’d gone off track. But the real question was—how? We had followed the map carefully, then how on earth it was possible that we missed the route. But with the sun beginning to dip behind the hills, this wasn’t the time for answers—it was time to find our way back.
We descended to the first hill, trying to retrace our steps. That’s when Brahadeesh noticed a narrow trail leading toward a distant tower. The clue for CP13 had mentioned a “lone tower,” so we followed it. We reached that point and found out that it was indeed the CP13.
It was 5:15 PM. We took a moment to regroup and studied the map again. From CP13, we were able to trace back the section where we had gone off course. The race was far from over, and now it was all about smart navigation and making up for lost time.
The Chase
Without stopping to rest, we headed straight toward Checkpoints 10 and 11. As we descended the hill, we met with two other teams. We kept running and encountered four more teams coming our way. At this point, we had moved into 10th position.
We kept motivating each other, reminding ourselves that we were strong runners and could catch up to the teams ahead. The sun had set, and we were now running in complete darkness. After successfully covering Checkpoints 10 and 11, our next target was a checkpoint on top of another hill. Although it appeared close on paper, the climb was steep and the distance was much farther than expected.
To reach the base of the next hill, we had two options: take the longer road or cross the river directly. I was a bit skeptical about the river route, but the rest of the team was confident we could manage it without any trouble. We took off our shoes, slung them around our necks like garlands, and crossed the thigh-deep water while holding hands for balance. The cold dip acted as a therapy for our tired legs.
After crossing the river, we laced up our shoes and began running towards the hill. We could see multiple headlamps—some heading toward us, others still climbing. We felt confident that we would overtake those still making their way up. As we approached Checkpoint 12, our captain, Santhosh, started feeling a bit drained. We took a short break, fueled up with energy bars, and resumed our climb.
After successfully tagging CP12, we retraced our steps, crossed the river once again, and overtook two more teams. Energized by our progress, we began the hike toward CP13. From there, our next target was Transition Area 04 (TA04).
The Biggest Surprise of the Race
We reached Transition Area 04 (TA04), which was not too far from Checkpoint 13. Here, we had some solid food, refilled our water bottles, and packed energy gels and bars. As we reviewed the route to the next three checkpoints, it became clear that we’d need to climb a hill—this time with our bikes. Although we could not figure out the specific route, one thing was certain: it was going to be a tough stretch. After final checks and preparations, we mounted our bikes and began the ride toward the hill.
As we approached the base of the hill, we could see two more teams beginning their ascent. Excited to have caught up with them, we quickened our pace. But it didn’t take long for us to realize—this wasn’t just another hill. We were facing a full-blown mountain.
Our astonishment went out of the roof when we looked up and saw bike lights up in the sky. It was then that the reality sank in: we were about to push our bikes up a steep, seemingly endless climb. None of us had aticipated that we will be taking our bikes up a steep mountain with never ending climb.
To give you a sense of our situation, imagine climbing Sinhagad or Rajgad or the Death Climb in Manali or any other major hill that you have ever climbed. Now drop the temperature to 8–9 degrees Celsius, add a steady drizzle, imagine dragging or carrying your MTB with you, and stretch that experience out for more than three hours. That’s what we or rather, every team was up against.
By now, I had lost all interest in the competitive aspect of the race. It was no longer about positions or pace—it had become purely about finishing the damn race.
The Hanuman Ji Effect
Every time we thought we had reached the top of the hill, another headlamp would appear even higher up the mountain. This happened at least three times. At one point, Brahadeesh from our team decided to put his bicycle onto his shoulders and didn’t set it down until we reached the next checkpoint. All we could think of was “Isme kahan se Hanuman Ji aa gaye”
The rest of us were dragging our bikes, pausing frequently to catch our breath. Brahadeesh took breaks too, but without keeping his bike down on the ground. I thought of asking him to carry my bicycle as well—but quickly realised that would’ve been an inhuman request!
The Breather
The rain had turned the hills into a slippery slope, and descending felt like a punishment for having climbed it in the first place. Our movement was slow, but that gave us a chance to recover and plan for the remaining stretch of the race.
Once we reached the road, we started toward the next transition area—TA05. Here, we had two tasks waiting for us: a local activity and abseiling. The local activity involved lifting a heavy stone and carrying it around a temple.
After completing the abseiling, we hopped on our bikes and set off toward the next checkpoint. A brief downhill stretch gave us a small break, but soon the uphill misery began once again. By this point, we were 22 hours into the race, and my stomach was completely empty. I was a little irritated at this point and avoided talking to anyone.
We finally reached the checkpoint and started toward the kayaking section. Upon arriving at Transition Area 06 (TA06), we were informed that we would have to wait another two hours before we could begin. We took advantage of this time to refuel, relax, and enjoy a warm cup of tea. Even writing this now brings a sense of relief—imagine how much we would have appreciated it that time, sitting in front of the fire in a cozy room.
HOLD THE PADDLE!!
This was going to be my first Kayaking experience, but I was not nervous. I was confident that Santhosh will manage everything and I only have to sit, breath and move my arms as per his instructions.
Finally, the moment arrived, and we launched our kayaks into the water. Santhosh gave me a quick tutorial on how to hold the paddles and drive my arms. We started off slowly, but with each stroke, as the kayak moved forward, I felt energetic and excited. As they say, there’s something special about experiencing “firsts.” It was indeed a different feeling, a new feeling for me. I loved it. Soon, we spotted another team that had started just ahead of us. I turned to Santhosh and suggested that if we paddled a little faster, we could catch them.
The moment I said this, our kayak suddenly started to fumble. Before we could react, it flipped upside down, and in an instant, Santhosh and I were plunged into neck-deep water. We tried our best to hold onto the kayak and our paddles.
“Hold the paddle… hold the paddle!” Santhosh shouted. I gripped it tightly, trying to steady myself. We then tried to right the Kayak, but while doing so Santhosh’s hand slipped and he went ahead with the current.
Thankfully, I managed to find my footing on the riverbed. With some effort, I was able to pull the kayak toward the shore and turn it around. Santhosh managed to come out of water and without thinking too much about this incident, we got into the Kayak and started paddling again. After this incident, we paddled slowly and were extra cautious during the rapid sections.
The Extreme Cold
During this leg, we had to cover two checkpoints. We stopped at the first one and quickly ran towards it. After punching in, as we made our way back to the kayaks, Santhosh and I started to shiver so violently that we could not even keep ourselves steady. Our entire bodies were shaking uncontrollably. Brahadeesh and Lipi kept urging us to keep walking to warm up, but the cold was intense. All we wanted was warmth, yet all we got was more cold water as we made our way back to the kayak.
We resumed our journey, quickly covering the second checkpoint and pushing on toward the final transition area—TA07. As we arrived, we were offered hot water and tea, which provided much-needed relief. However, there was little time to relax; the other teams were closing in fast.
DON’T TALK TO ME!
In the final leg, we were given pictures of five locations, we had to navigate our way to reach there and take a selfie. We began running at a steady pace, finally got rid of the shivering and found a rhythm. With this being the last stretch, every team was pushing their limits. Santhosh urged us to give one final push and catch the team ahead of us. I, too, felt the drive to push harder, but I noticed that Lipi was struggling. Afterall, she had been pushing herself from the very start.
Everyone was giving their all, but everything has a limit and we had already crossed it long back. Santhosh gave one last push to lift our spirits. I wanted to tell Lipi to take it easy. The moment I opened my mouth she shouted “Just don’t talk to me!”
I could feel the pain and irritation in her voice. Funny thing is, we all felt the same way. Every one of us was drained, irritated, and just done. I loved the raw honesty of that moment. While the rest of us tried to mask it, Lipi didn’t. She let it out—and in a strange way, it was the purest, most authentic emotion of the entire race.
We eventually finished the race holding each other’s hands and a smile on our faces.
I hope you enjoyed this journey. Do share it with everyone.
Checkout my race report on Solang Sky Ultra
