Two Youths from Kalimpong Run 1,800 km to Kedarnath in 43 Days

Two young people from Jaldhaka, in the Kalimpong district, which is near the border between India and Bhutan, ran 1,800 kilometers in 43 days to get to Kedarnath in Uttarakhand.

On April 8, Anuj Sharma, 23, and Norden Tamang, 27, left for Jholung in Jaldhaka and arrived in Kedarnath on May 20.

Anuj, who recently finished his postgraduate studies, is from Jholung village, while Norden, who works for a private company, is from 45 Block village.

Anuj stated, "We started running during the lockdown." "We gradually increased our levels of endurance and stamina."

Running has become very popular in the hills these days. The two racers have been running the hills in marathons on a regular basis.

I recently finished third in a marathon held in Kalimpong. Norden stated that Anuj placed fifth.

Following this, the two made the decision to flee to the Uttarakhand holy town of Kedarnath.

In order to motivate and inspire young people to adopt a healthy lifestyle, Norden remarked, "We wanted to run and cover the distance. We had heard stories of people cycling or even walking to the place."

Beginning in Jholung in the Kalimpong region, the pair traveled to Siliguri, then into Nepal, and ultimately crossed into India to arrive at Kedarnath from Rudraprayag.

"The run in Nepal was difficult because of the high temperatures—41 degrees Celsius." We were unable to run for three of the forty-three days, Jorden remarked.

Both ran mainly by themselves. Anuj stated, "We should have brought a backup team to help us." She also mentioned that Jhaldhaka Runners members had come to see them twice in Nepal to encourage them to finish the race.

At first, the young people raced carrying a rucksack that held their clothing and food, weighing roughly 4 kg. It was tough to run with such weight, but after a while, we dropped it to about 2.5 kg, according to Norden.

Depending on the lodging available, the two traveled anywhere from 40 to 50 kilometers each day. "We had scheduled the trip approximately half a year ago," Norden stated.

The two of them spent almost Rs 1 lakh. "The locals, with the exception of the Jaldhaka Runners, helped us," Anuj stated.

The runners, who came from somewhat small areas, expressed their amazement at the support they got in Nepal and India.

"Everyone engaged with us, from army soldiers in both nations to mayors of various communities.
Speaking by phone from Kedarnath, Norden remarked, "It was a rewarding experience.

He said that many fans also came to Kedarnath to greet them. "To be honest, it was a great feeling," he remarked.

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