TROT 2024 – Race Report by Pooja Chawla

“When the Going Gets Tough, the Tough Get Trot-ting!”

Event: TROT 2024

Distance:(NINJAS PICKED) 21K & 10K 

Terrain: Steep uphills that make your quads question life choices and slushed downhills that could double as slip ‘n slides through the lush green countryside.

Weather Conditions:

The day kicked off with Mother Nature flexing her muscles, sending down a torrential downpour just to remind us who’s boss. Some runners wanted to head back home at that moment ;). The 21K runners got an unexpected shower, and the start time was pushed by 30 minutes. But hey, what’s a little rain when you’ve got crisp air, scenic views, and humidity that gives you a free sauna session(HUMIDITY BRO)?

Race Experience:

Picture this: you’re running through a village so picturesque it looks like a postcard, except instead of serenity, you’ve got roosters crowing, cows mooing, birds singing, village dogs giving you the side-eye, and peacocks flaunting their feathers. The course was a real-life Jungle Book, minus Mowgli but plus some slippery slopes that had everyone practicing their best penguin slides.

Most of us went into this with a simple goal: finish in one piece. The course was tough enough to make you rethink every hill repeat you ever did, and the rain turned the downhills into mud wrestling arenas. But with the views we got, who’s complaining? Well, except for Salil, who was definitely rethinking all his life decisions with each uphill climb.

Race Highlights:

– The village route was straight out of a storybook, except the only fairy tale here was surviving the temple climb with your lungs intact.

– Ishu led the 21K Ninja pack like a boss, followed by Abhishek Roy, prashant and Bennet, who were just there to make the rest of us look slow. 😛

– In the 10K, Deepak Chawla blazed the trail, finishing in 51 minutes, while the rest of us wondered if he had secretly hitched a ride with the village cows.

– Taran crushed her first 21K like a pro, while Salil was overheard muttering something about never trusting a race with the word “TROT” in it again.

– Pooja brought her own brand of canine diplomacy, was seen barking back at the dogs on the course.

– Neeraj played paparazzi, capturing the day’s best (and worst) moments, ensuring that no one escaped without a slightly embarrassing (mostly beautiful)photo.

– Vaibhav and Prachi ran together like that cute couple you see in rom-coms, proving that the couple that trots together, stays together.

– Anna was seen rubbing shoulders with the elite runners, not just for tips but because he’s one himself. His positivity and energy were contagious.

– Anannya spread kudos like confetti, cheering everyone on and making sure we all got our moment in the spotlight.

– The Ninjas wrapped up the day with a breakfast that was more earned than any paycheck, reliving a race that was as memorable as it was muddy.

Race Rfeflections-

Most of us came out of this race with one thought: survival of the fittest. Timing? Who cares! This race was all about soaking in nature—literally and figuratively. We ran, we slipped, we conquered, and we laughed (or cried) our way through every challenge this course threw at us.

Race Results

Half Marathons:* 

1. Anna – 2:49 (Because fashionably late is a thing, right?) 

2. Abhishek D – 2:44 (Still faster than your Wi-Fi connection) 

3. Abhishek R – 1:58 (No relation to The Flash, we checked) 

4. Prashant – 1:58 (Clearly skipped the snack stations) 

5. Bennet – 2:01 (Still wondering if that extra minute was worth the scenery) 

6. Neeraj – 2:39 (Slowed down by all the selfies, obviously) 

7. Sambi – 2:22 (Could’ve gone faster, but why rush perfection?) 

8. Ishu – 1:47 (Making the rest of us look like we were out for a Sunday stroll) 

9. Taran – 2:23 (First 21K, nailed it, never doing it again) 

10. Ravi – 2:09 (Somewhere between “wow” and “ouch”) 

11. Sushil – 2:17 (Breezed through, or at least that’s what we’re telling ourselves) 

12. Vaibhav – 2:26 (Prachi’s pace partner, or was it the other way around?) 

13. Prachi – 2:19 (Making running look like a walk in the park) 

14. Salil – 2:37 (Questioned every life choice, still finished strong) 

15. Pooja – 2:14 (Barked at the dogs, and ran like one too!)

10K:

1. Abhishek S – 1:00 (Proof that time flies when you’re having fun) 

2. Anannya – 1:20 (Took the scenic route, and why not?) 

3. Deepak – 0:51 (Too fast, barely left footprints) 

4. Sitanshu – 1:09 (Killed it) 

5. Thentral – 1:06 (Efficient) 

6. Sandip – 1:13 (Cruised through) 

7. Atul – 1:25 (Taking his sweet time, because someone had to)

The TROT race was everything we expected and more—more mud, more fun, more laughs, more repents 😛 and definitely more memories. It was a race we won’t forget, and not just because of the sore legs.

*In the Spirit of the Raramuri:* 

Like the legendary Raramuri tribe, known as the “Running People” of Mexico’s Copper Canyons, we ran not just to compete but to celebrate the joy of running. The Raramuri run with a sense of freedom and connection to the earth, reminding us that running is as much about the journey as the destination. Here’s to #RunningNinjas and many more miles of pure, unfiltered joy on the trails!

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