Peak condition

Nestled into the foothills of the Himalayas, Nepal is a magnet for trekkers and a launch pad to scale the world's highest mountains.

But as the ultra-running fad gains momentum, Nepal has become a proving ground for thrill seekers drawn to its striking scenery, extensive trail network and diverse terrain. Strong competition from local running talent is an extra drawcard for the destination.

In the past three years, the number of single and multi-day running races in Nepal has almost tripled. These are not your average 10-kilometre fun runs, but real tests of endurance. New to the racing calendar last year was the Annapurna 100-kilometre Ultra Mountain, descending from Annapurna Base Camp at 4,130 metres to Pokhara at 820 metres, and the Manaslu Mountain Trail Race, a 212-kilometre race over seven days, topping out at more than 5,100 metres.

Runners say the experience in Nepal allows them to be among the mountains and get a glimpse of nature at its best. Athletes from novices to elites are taking on such challenges, says Nepalese ultra-running pioneer Ramesh Bhattachan, "some for the sake of participation, some for enjoyment, and some for pre-training for their main trail races in their countries".

Bhattachan, 58, was early to spot Nepal's potential as a running destination and breeding ground for elite runners. He helped to establish Nepal's first 100-kilometre high altitude ultramarathon in 1995, the Annapurna 100. As the proposed route took a strong hiker four days to walk, the run was deemed impossible and attracted only 25 daring Nepali runners, he says.

"The first runner finished in a mind-boggling time of 11 hours 51 minutes," says Bhattachan. "Nobody could believe it."

In its sixth edition in 2012, the Annapurna 100 (which now offers 50, 75 and 100-kilometre distance options) attracted 100 foreign runners from 26 countries, and 75 Nepali runners.