Geetanjali Krishna: The flying Singh of McLeodganj

Every time I've huffed and puffed up a mountain like an asthmatic steam engine, I've envied local folk who traipse across hill and dale without as much as breaking into a sweat. That is why when I went to cheer on friends who were participating in India's first mountain trail run - a mad 16-km dash up and down the Triund Ridge in Dharamshala, it was with a sense of belonging to another, much lazier species. Anyway, as the 40-odd participants began the race, I basked in the glorious November sun, not expecting anyone to complete the race in under three hours. Imagine my surprise when an hour and twenty two minutes later, just as I was settling into a mid-morning drowse, the first runner blazed past the finish line. It was Ranjit Singh, a 23-year-old from McLeodganj, and his marathon sprint barely caused him to break out in sweat.

"I heard about this race 10 days ago, and even though I've never formally run before, I thought it would be fun to try out," he said, happily posing for pictures. Singh's father, Baisakhi Ram, an employee of the forest department, has worked in Triund for the last 30 years. "I first saw the Triund ridge from atop his shoulders. That is why I would like to dedicate my win today to him, as well as to my idol, Sachin Tendulkar," he said. The actual running was easy for him, he said, as he was used to hilly terrain. "On a daily basis, we walk miles to get from one place to another. Perhaps our lungs are accustomed to the exercise!" he said. He had a point - the first three finalists were all locals who finished the race in under an hour and forty five minutes. The urban runners from places as varied as New Delhi, Bangalore, San Francisco and Melbourne, gave valiant competition but were no match for the local speedsters. Initially, when Singh heard he would be competing with professional runners, he was a little apprehensive about how his performance would compare with theirs. "But when the race began, I started ahead of everyone. I ran without stopping even once for water. When I felt a little tired, I remembered my brother's advice to bend and run low. And I ended up winning the race," he said proudly.

Currently, Singh looks after a small plot of family land and herds their animals. "Twice, sometimes thrice a month, I earn some money by taking tourists trekking and hiking in these mountains. But that sometimes makes me so impatient - you see, I have always run, never walked, while most people who come here from the plains walk so slowly..." He said that he would love to get a chance to take up running professionally. "But we don't have many opportunities in McLeodganj," he said wistfully.

Later, back in my tent at Camp Chrysalid, I wondered at the wealth of talent that lies hidden and untapped in India's small towns and villages. The time that Singh had clocked was remarkable even by international standards. And this was when he had run in a pair of ordinary shoes and baggy trackpants. How far (pun intended) could this young runner go if he had the right training, gear and most important of all, opportunities? Percy Fernandez and Vikas Bhasin, organisers of the race, plan to take the first three finishers to similar mountain trail race events in the sub-continent in the hope that their talent blossoms with the exposure. However, we need a marathon effort to promote thousands of Ranjit Singhs in India's small towns and villages. The Triund Mountain Trail Race is a baby step in the right direction.