The Diwali lights are burning bright for Sarthak Malani from Ahmedabad, who is in celebratory mode after running from Porbandar to Veraval in Gujarat—a distance of 100 km—on October 26. This ultramarathon, Malani said, “was a celebration of a milestone.” “This milestone was about not wearing shoes of any kind for 550 days and still counting…Through the 100 km, I wore my running sandals and what I call barefoot socks. No shoes at all. The run itself was called ‘Shoeless Run’,” said Malani, 32.

Course pause 

Porbandar to Veraval Ultra took 18 hours, including resting and eating breaks. “The course was mostly a one-way highway passing through quaint villages, lush green farms on one side, and the Arabian Sea on the other. Yet if this sounds like a picture postcard scene, that may be misleading,” said Malani with a laugh. The reason for minimalist footwear is the strong, positive impact it has on his physical and mental health. The destination was to return to his roots, literally. “My parents moved to Porbandar from Rajasthan post marriage. From Porbandar, they moved to Veraval, where I was born. Returning to our roots and honouring them through my cherished sport of running is an absolute privilege,” Malani said.