Nepal, March 13 -- Kathmandu was once a lake inhabited by serpents, until Manjushree visiting from present-day China saw a fluorescent lotus in the water. To reach it, the sage used his flaming sword to cut a gorge at Chobhar, draining the lake and turning it into a fertile valley.

The Manjushree Trail Race (MTR) is inspired by this legend. There are five categories along a near-circular route around the rim of Kathmandu Valley: 10k, 30k, 50k, 100k, and one that is 100 miles that is 157.7km (map, right).

The 100 miles category starts at 8AM on 14 March, and runners have 52 hours until noon on 16 March to complete it. Arjun Kulung Rai's 26:52:56 is the current record, set in 2024.

"The Manjushree legend and the perfect loop make the ra...