Safety

Safety is our first concern and we request you to read this information carefully prior to coming to our event.

The Malnad Ultra is held in rough terrain and the course passes through areas that are very close to wildlife reserves. We will share this area with porcupines, hares, mongoose, Giant Malabar Squirrel, Barking Deer, Chitals, Gaur, Boar, Elephants, Sloth Bears, Tigers, Leopards and a variety of snakes and birds.

Because of the large traffic of runners  during the run, it is very unlikely that runners will encounter any threats due to wildlife. However, it is best to be prepared and we request runners to follow instructions provided here and by our volunteers during the run.

 

    • Be Aware and Be Prepared – Be conscious of your surroundings. Stay on the marked course and keep your eyes on the course as much as possible. It is very easy to trip and suffer injury due to a fall in this terrain. Or worse, step on a snake inadvertently!
    • Be Passive – In the unlikely event that you encounter wildlife, do not approach the animal or be aggressive. Allow the animal to pass and continue on its way. If necessary, withdraw calmly from the area until the animal passes. DO NOT make loud noises, take pictures, throw stones or try to scare away the animal. It may turn aggressive.
    • Know your Location – Be mindful of the Distance Markers on the course. You will be able to describe your location as needed.
    • Self-Help – Respect the course and the terrain. Do not extend yourself beyond your capability. This is easy to do if you see other runners going much faster than you. Stay at your pace of comfort. If you are in pain or not feeling good, stop at the next Aid Station and evaluate your progress. If you have a situation where you cannot continue, please put your ego aside and pull yourself out of the race.
    • Pulling Out – If you are pulling out of the event, please do so at one of our Aid Stations. You can be safe and comfortable there until you get picked up by our vehicle. Remember to take your Bib off and inform our Run Officials in the Race Area.
    • Mobile Phone – Carry your mobile phone with you if possible. Even though phone networks are weak, there is a good chance that you can make a phone call or send out an SMS in an emergency.
    • Emergency – Stay Calm! Evaluate your situation and think calmly for a few minutes before figuring out your best course of action. If you have a mobile and network access, try calling the Emergency Contacts whose information we will provide prior to the race. We will provide whistles in your goodie bag for you to carry on your run. Please use these only in an emergency. If you have an injury and cannot move, try to flag down other runners and inform them of your situation. They will alert the next volunteer they see. Make yourself comfortable and wait for the crew to come and help you. If you are by yourself, try and attract attention by blowing the whistle from time to time.
    • Vehicular Movement – Many areas of our course are inaccessible to vehicles. We will restrict our vehicular movement to ensure that runners are not interrupted as much as possible.  We also want our runners to experience the mind-body connection with nature and therefore will not move vehicles without reason.
    • Ambulances and Medical Support – Our Medical Crew will be mostly stationary in the major sections of the course. Because of the terrain, it is not possible to provide mobile medical crews. Our ambulances will also be stationed at strategic locations.
    • Night Running – Without exception, all runners must wear personal headlights or carry flashlights while running at night. Runners must organise their own headlights and must carry them after the 50K mark. We will not allow runners to share lights or use their mobile phone as substitutes.
    • Streams – You will encounter a few streams and water bodies along the course. Please avoid drinking from these sources even though they look inviting.
    • Water Bottles – We require all runners to carry a water bottle on them throughout the run. Please ensure that you replenish your bottle at every aid station

Do’s & Don’ts

Do’s Dont’s
Be aware of where you are on the course and make a mental note of the KM and approximate distance to the next aid station. Be more attentive to signs when you approach a junction of any kind. Do not take your Bib off at any time during the event, If you take your bib off, it indicates that you have dropped out
Observe your surroundings and keep your ears and eyes open Do not wander off the marked course into the bushes. Avoid headsets and music
In the unlikely event that you are bitten by an insect or a snake, remain calm and try to identify it. Do not tread into areas where there is thick brush, thorns or leaves. You might step on a scorpion or worse, a snake
Pay attention to the instructions provided by the volunteers. This is a complex event and there are likely to be instructions provided on the course to runners in realtime Please don’t argue with other runners, guests and officials. Remain calm. We are all here to have a good time and we are doing the best that we can
Please hold on to your trash and dispose them off at the next Aid Station or Rest Area. Please do not dispose off any trash on the course or throw any garbage into the estates or forest areas. This is an extremely eco-sensitive zone.
Be aware of the intermediate Checkpoint requirements and plan conservatively to meet them. If you miss these, you will get a DNF Do not approach or tease wildlife regardless of their size
100K runners must pick up their headlights at the 50K mark Do not depend on directions provided by locals and villagers. Our official volunteers can be identified by their event T-shirt.
Be sure to pay attention to the course signs. Our volunteers will also guide you at a few confusing junctions Avoid making noise by talking loudly or shouting out to other runners. Do not play music without personal headset

Snakes

As you can expect, this area has a variety of wildlife and we feel privileged to share some time with them. Most wildlife are harmless and very wary of the largest predator on planet earth – Humans! In the unlikely event that you have a close encounter with wildlife, stop, and do not approach it under any circumstances. Not even to take a better photo! Allow the animal to pass. If it does not pass, withdraw from the area and wait for other runners or a vehicle to come by. The animal will move away because it perceives a threat.

There are a variety of snakes in the Western Ghats, many of which are non-poisonous. There is however, a risk of encountering a poisonous snake.

Snakes can sense vibration on the ground and it is very unlikely that you will see any snakes as a result of all the runners on the course. Keep your eyes open and on the ground as much as possible to avoid stepping on a snake inadvertently. Be more attentive during the night and ensure that you are wearing your headlights. If you do happen to spot a snake, remain calm and allow it to pass. Do not throw stones or try to harm it in any other manner. If you are bitten by a snake, follow these steps:

    • Remain calm and avoid movement as it can cause venom to travel quicker through your body
    • Note the time of the bite if you can
    • Alert a fellow runner or volunteer and we will organise medical assistance as quickly as possible
    • Try and identify the snake because treatment varies. If possible, take a picture on your mobile phone without adding risk
    • Look for a wound, typically with two puncture marks
    • Look for swelling or redness around the wound
    • Gauge the pain near the wound, difficulty in breathing, nausea, profuse sweating, numbness or blurred vision
    • Wait for assistance without too much movement.

Avoid the following common myths:

    • Do not use a tourniquet
    • Do not cut into the area or put a cold compress on the wound
    • Do not attempt to suck the venom with your mouth

Leeches

Many stretches stretches of the course are damp and slushy. Leeches are very common in wet conditions and you can expect plenty of them on our course.  The information below will help you cope with these as much as possible. It is possible that the monsoon would have faded by the time we flag-off the event and the threat of leeches has reduced considerably. However, weather and leeches are beyond our control. It is best to avoid wet areas as much as you can. 

If you are really concerned about leeches, consider wearing leech socks. These socks are tightly woven and do not allow leeches to get through. They are probably the most effective way to protect yourself against leeches. However, do remember that leeches can get onto other areas of your body from branches and leaves. So protecting your feet and shoes might not be enough. Also, the leech socks might give you blisters while you run.

To avoid leeches, you can spray DEET (mosquito repellant) on your socks and shoes. You can also smear local snuff (tobacco) powder or a mixture of Dettol and Coconut Oil on your shoes and lower legs to avoid leeches. We recommend that you reapply these repellents frequently throughout your run.

Regularly inspect your shoes and lower legs for leeches. If you spot a leech, do not pull it off by force. Anticoagulants left behind may cause bleeding for a while. You can get rid of it by applying salt or tobacco powder. You can wait until the next aid station to get salt. There is no cause for worry even if you are bitten by a leech. They are no more harmful than a mosquito bite even though a leech bite can look ugly and can be itchy for days.