Amar Subba covered 450 kms

Amar Subba covered 450 kms
Prabin Khaling, KalimNews

Arun Subba

Gangtok, Jan 23: Forty two years old Amar Subba battled extreme weather conditions below zero degree Celsius, heavy snowfall, dense fog and rainfall and Darjeeling bandh to complete a 450 kms solo marathon run from Darap in West Sikkim crisscrossing Darjeeling hills and Siliguri to reach Gangtok today afternoon.

Subba had embarked on the solo marathon on January 17 from his home town of Darap, 141 kms away from here, carrying dry fruits and a set of clothes in a light bag with aim to spread awareness on drug abuse, HIV-AIDS and environment protection-the three important issues of the Himalayan region.
After reaching Rorathang in East Sikkim at the wee hours of Sunday from Kalimpong-from where he had started yesterday morning at 10:21 am-Subba rested for two hours before resuming his run from 5:35 am completing his run here at MG Marg at 1:15 pm. He was welcomed by a host of associations and Sikkim government at MG Marg where a small function had been organized to celebrate his inspiring run.
“I wanted to spread awareness on drug abuse which not only destroys the lives of our youth but also their families and society. I also want to do something about HIV-AIDS awareness and sensitize people on the need to protect our fragile Himalayan environment. Wherever I halted or had a chance to interact with people on the way I spoke on these issues”, said Subba, a father of two children.
A self-employed person, Subba had physically prepared for his solo marathon run for two years through yoga where he enhanced the strength of his lungs and heart, both vital for enduring a long run.
Subba told reporters that on the first day itself (January 17), he had reached Chewabhanjyang and on the next morning ran through the high altitude area of Sandakpu (12980 ft) in Darjeeling hills. When I started out in the morning, the temperature was around minus five degree Celsius with thick snowfall all the way down to Darjeeling town where I reached on January 19, he said.
“Though the weather conditions were challenging, I had done a mountaineering course at Himalayan Mountaineering Institute at Darjeeling in 2008-09 which helped me to overcome these conditions. There were occasions where I was drenched wet with rain and once in the Sandakphu range I got lost for 90 minutes due to dense fog but I managed to reach Darjeeling”, said Subba.
From Darjeeling, Subba proceeded along the Hill Cart Road to Kurseong town from where he climbed down to the plain areas of Siliguri via the Pankhabari route. On January 21, he reached Kalimpong in the night and made a halt there. He then resumed from 10:21 am on January 22 from Kalimpong and ran continuously till 2:35 am of January 23 to reach Rorathang in East Sikkim through Reshi outpost near the Darjeeling-Sikkim border.
After resting for two hours, Subba resumed his run from 5:35 am and reached Gangtok through the Pakyong-Ranipool route. “The run is full of memorable incidents. While I was running through the Darjeeling hills, there used to be bandh supporters of Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (GJM) picketing the roads. I was initially scared as it used to be late in the evening but the bandh supporters already knew about me and my marathon through the local media. They used to help me and give me moral support by running for some distance with torch and offering me snacks and tea. All the way, I met people who were very helpful and supportive and I am very grateful to the people of Darjeeling”, said Subba.
State sports minister NK Pradhan who welcomed Subba into Gangtok today congratulated the runner for his memorable run, which he said, was inspiring to the youth. “With his run, Subba has made Darap famous. There are people in Sikkim who do not know about Darap but Subba’s run has made the place well known”, he said. Subba’s run
January 17: Darap to Chewbhanjyang (West Sikkim)
January 18: Chewabhanjyang to Sandakphu
January 19: Darjeeling
January 20: Siliguri
January 21: Kalimpong
January 22: Rorathang (East Sikkim)