Ultrarunning
How Kartik Joshi and Aadit Zaveri took on the Comrades Marathon 2023
Kartik from Indore and Aadit from Mumbai reflect on their efforts at the oldest ultra-running event which saw the largest Indian contingent till date.
A short distance separated Kartik Joshi and Aadit Zaveri at the start line of the prestigious Comrades Marathon in South Africa in June 2023. They were huddled close among the 16,000-odd runners, focussed on the target they hoped to attain by the end.
For Kartik, it was a second attempt and this time around, he had set his eyes on smashing the Indian record at the ultra-running epic. On the other hand, Aadit was lining up for his first ultra-marathon and was looking to make the finish in a good physical and mental state.
By the end of the 87.701km run, both had achieved their goals. At 7 hours 26 minutes 34 seconds, Kartik set a new fastest time by an Indian, picking up the first silver medal (for finishers between 6-7.5 hours) for the country. Aadit clocked 11 hours 4 minutes 29 seconds to pull off a successful debut on the ultra-running scene and celebrated with the Vic Clapham medal (for finishers between 11-12 hours).
It was a moment to cherish for both. Personal milestones apart, they had just finished the world’s oldest ultra-marathon that also has a notorious reputation of being one of the most gruelling runs in the world.
Aadit Zaveri at Comrades Marathon 2023
© Aadit Zaveri
Early days
While walking to school back in 2016, Kartik would gaze intently at the cadets on their morning run at the police academy in Indore. He soon donned shoes and decided to give it a go as well, but he didn’t last too long. However, he sat there and observed the others. On the next run, he experimented with his pace and made an instant connection.
“The slower runners could sustain the effort and also cover more ground. I ran 13km on my first run and realised I had a lot more in store,” Kartik says.
After this, Kartik He started reading up on the different styles of running and what each one entailed. Besides just training, he became a student of the sport and by next year, he had settled in on his first ultra run.
“I didn’t have the fast, powerful muscles for track and field, so I had to do something with endurance. Ultra-running was popular around the world, but it was still picking up in India. And I knew I wanted to be a part of it,” he says.
Kartik Joshi at Comrades Marathon 2023
© Kartik Joshi
Aadit pursued multiple sports since his younger days, but it was squash that had his interest. He played on the Professional Squash Association circuit for five years and even shifted base to Cairo to train among the best. But the Covid-19 pandemic brought a halt to his progress, forcing him to return home.
“I’ve been an athlete all my life and love the hard work and training. During Covid, running was a great way to stay fit. I didn’t need a partner to train and I realised that it was something that would allow me to compete for the rest of my life. My fitness base was strong due to professional squash, so I would routinely run 10km each day,” he says.
Comrades beckons
Aadit Zaveri at Comrades Marathon 2023
© Aadit Zaveri
A mail from the Comrades organisers during his honeymoon in March 2023 set Aadit on a different course. He was delighted to learn that he had been granted a substitute entry. There was just one catch – the longest he had run until then was 12km.
“The very next day I finished 21km, much to my wife’s annoyance,” Aadit says, laughing.
“But she knew I had to go. This was the Comrades,” he adds.
The first edition of the Comrades Marathon took place in 1921. The race is characterised by a set of hills called the “Big Five”, their undulating slopes presenting a daunting challenge for all kinds of runners. In 2023, the race followed the ‘down’ course that runs from Pietermaritzburg to Durban. The ‘up’ run during alternate years goes the other way, though Kartik believes there’s not much separating the two.
“The down run has 1,250 metres of elevation gain and 1,600 metres of decline. So it’s uphill any way that you go. There is also a drastic temperature variation – single digit at the start, which climbs to around 30 degrees Celsius at the finish,” Kartik says.
“Then, there are all the runners you need to get past, since you start in blocks based on your qualifying time. For instance, if you are in the A seeding right up front, it can still take you an hour to be able to finally run on your own,” he adds.
Kartik Joshi at Comrades Marathon 2023
© Kartik Joshi
For Kartik, heading back to Comrades was unfinished business. Strong headwinds during his attempt in 2022 made the going rough and he eventually clocked 7 hours 51 minutes 55 seconds. But the experience made him wiser.
“I did a lot of technical training this time around that included gym workouts, yoga and core exercises to ensure I had a stronger second half of the run. I also dropped my monthly mileage by almost 480km and would step out thrice a day to run, so that the body wouldn’t get sore. And I paid close attention to the fuelling,” Kartik says.
For Aadit, the odds were stacked up. He had first to qualify for the Comrades and took on a virtual run as part of the London Marathon. He mapped out a route in Mumbai and ran a lone marathon in 3 hours 45 minutes to make the cut in April 2023. The following month, he increased the mileage to take on two gruelling hill runs of 56km and 67km within a week in Lonavala alongside his coach, Satish Gujaran.
“As a squash player, speed was always on my side, so I had to work on dropping the pace. Then, I was looking at going from 12km to 90km in a little over two months. The only way to do it was by adding miles. The harder it got, the stronger I became. I just wanted it real bad,” Aadit says.
Aadit Zaveri at Comrades Marathon 2023
© Aadit Zaveri
The big run
Aadit targeted a finishing time of 11-11.5 hours, which meant he would have to maintain a steady pace to make the cut-off time of 12 hours. Nerves, if any, dissipated the moment he heard inspiriting songs blasting over the loudspeaker at the early hour.
Kartik had a smooth start until he encountered road construction at the 16km mark. A small piece of gravel entered his shoe and before he realised it, he had suffered a cut on the under sole of his right foot.
“I had to simply drop the pace, the slowest 50km of my life. Once past that mark, there was comfort in the fact that I was halfway there, so I picked it up. I pushed up the inclines as hard as I could and conserved energy on the downhills,” he says.
The miles stormed past Aadit but at the halfway point, he struggled on a long, steep uphill. The distance to the finish started playing in his head, especially when he hit the 67km mark – the longest he had run until then.
“I was quite nervous because this is where the real challenge would begin. But my family showed up at that point to cheer me on. It was the perfect boost,” Aadit says.
Closer to the finish, Aadit started cramping and had to dig deep, riding on the positivity of those around him. Kartik battled head winds on the inclines yet again, but both pushed on to hit the final cut-off at Sherwood.
“This area has a lot of Indians cheering you on. You hear all kinds of chants in the air and are handed out everything from Indian sweets to parathas. Even as you soak it all in, you realise you have under 7km to the finish,” Kartik says.
Kartik Joshi at Comrades Marathon 2023
© Kartik Joshi
Kartik knows he could have been much faster and wants to go back in 2024 to give the Comrades another go. The rush of making the finish is a feeling Aadit has never experienced before. He calls it his greatest achievement till date and the start of a beautiful ultra-running journey.
“When you hit the runners’ wall and feel you cannot take another step, the power of the mind pushes you on. And the tough moments are soon past you. That’s the beauty of this sport,” Aadit says.