Every Hell Race carries a story of its own.
The Bir Running Festival began not on foot, but on wheels. A handful of mountain bikes once cut through Birâs raw, lush, and unforgettable trails.
Over the years, Hell Race at Bir has challenged runners through two categories: The Bir Billing Half Marathon and the Hanumangarh Epic.
This year, we are introducing a new chapter: Dhauladhar Ultra (60K Road Run), inspired by our original mountain biking route.
The same terrain. The same brutal climbs. Only now, itâs earned on foot.
New Category added: 60km | cut off 10 hours
Route: Bir-Biling-Rajgunda-Bada Gram - Barot
#dhauladharultra #hellrace #thehellrace #notfortheweakofwill #birrunningfestival #ultrarunning
Somewhere on the long highway between Leh and Manali, where even breathing feels feels like work, I learnt what it really means to keep moving.
I was crewing for a runner named Vero from Cambodia. She was running 135 miles through the high mountains of the Himalayas. Before this, I had been on mountain expeditions myself, so some parts of this journey felt strangely familiar to me. The cold wind, the thin air, the silence of the mountains, and the feeling of pushing your body even when every cell in your body wants you to stop, In that way ultra running felt very similar to mountaineering in many ways. In both, we learn that the summit is achieved slowly, one small step at a time, in small increments.
Most of what I learnt about crewing happened on the road itself. I slowly understood when to speak, when to stay quiet, and how important even one bottle of water could become.
Vero survived mostly on baby food, water, and a huge amount of inner strength. There were no big speeches or dramatic moments. She just kept moving quietly. One step after another. Again and again.
Slowly, during those long restless hours, her race started feeling like my race too. Every point on the route mattered to me. Every climb hurt me also. When she slowed down, I became worried. When she started moving properly again, I felt relieved.
There is a strange and silent bond between a runner and the person crewing them. Without saying much, you start carrying a small part of each other.
What inspired me the most was not strength in the normal way people think about it. It was her refusal to stop no matter how tired she felt. She was racing against cut off times, against sleep, against pain, and against the mountains themselves. Still, she kept moving. No drama. No complaints. Just movement.
Watching that changed something deep inside me.
I understood that resilience is usually very quiet. Most of the time, it is simply a tired and hurting person deciding to take one more step. I learnt that progress does not always need confidence or motivation.
Sometimes, all we need to do is keep moving.
#thehellrace #hellrace #teamhellrace #ghrf #ultrarunning
Behind every strong woman runner is a story of discipline, courage, and silent battles won through miles. đââď¸â¨
Registrations close on 10th May at midnight. Donât miss your chance to be part of the journey.
Link đ in the bio
#thehellrace #hellrace #birrunningfestival #notfortheweakofwill #teamhellrace
The race that demands evidence not your ego.
This isnât a race you can just sign up for.
Itâs a race you have to plan for long before race day, in the laps of the Himalayan giants.
In this high-altitude thriller, nothing is handed out on a platter.
No easy climbs. No flat sections. No hiding.
The mountains donât care about your intent to get that finisher medal.
They simply ask for evidence.
Evidence that youâve put in the work.
Of climbs when your hamstrings said no, when your knees started making funny noises, when you worked to bring your lungs, legs, and mind together.
Of hill repeats no one saw.
Of the unglamorous work.
Unlike the road, this course cannot be taken for granted.
It cannot be cracked without evidence.
On race day, you donât show up to âtry.â
You show up to redeem.
Registrations are now open.
Solang, Himachal Pradesh.
Come prepared.
Secure your spot â registration link in bio đ
#solangskyultra #solangskyultra2026 #thehellrace #hellrace #notfortheweakofwill
Mountains donât test your speedâŚ
they test your patience.
And somewhere between running and walking,
you discover the real runner within.
#thehellrace #notfortheweakofwill #nftwow #birrunningfestival #brf2026
Hanumangarh Epic is an 18KM trail race at the Bir Running Festival.
The race starts from Bir Landing Site (1409m) with a total elevation gain of 2027m.
The route goes via Bari Gate and climbs steadily up to the 5KM Rock point.
After that, the main ascent begins, taking runners to Hanumangarh Top (3080m), the highest point of the race.
From the peak, the trail moves towards Chhaina Pass, followed by a gradual descent back to the finish at Bir Landing Site.
An intermediate cut-off is set at 7KM, with a time limit of 3 hours 30 minutes.
The total cut-off time is 6 hours, so pace and energy management are very important.
This course includes technical sections, steep climbs, and long descentsâmaking it tough for beginners and challenging for experienced runners.
âł Registrations close on 10 May.
Register now if you want to be part of it.
#hanumangarhepic #thehellrace #hellrace #notfortheweakofwill #teamhellrace
This Earth Day,
donât just chase trails...
protect them.
Because one dayâŚ
if we donât care,
these paths will disappear.
đż Run light
đż Leave no trace
đż Respect the mountains
#thehellrace #hellrace #notfortheweakofwill #teamhellrace #trailrunning
