The start of the 21 KM run in Batumi Botanical Garden Trail was at 9:15 AM. Got up early, got ready, ate boiled eggs and bananas for breakfast, and applied Moov ointment on my leg, calf, back and knee joints. Booked a Bolt to the Botanical Garden Parking, reached there around 8:35 AM. Attached my Bib on my t-shirt and the tracker which they provided on my right leg.

Around 350 people were running 12 KM and 21 KM distances, 12 KM was one lap and 21 KM was two laps. The run started at 9:15 AM, just after running 300 meters, it was time to climb the elevation, climbing around 60 stairs, again I ran for less than one minute and soon found another elevation. My pace was bad but how it would be If most of the time you have to climb an uphill.

There were downhills as well, including passing a dark tunnel of 50 meters, crossing narrow and deep plants, climbing with a rope. I was checking my pace and calculating how much time it would take to finish this lethal trail. At times my mind was questioning, would I be able to finish this run.

The second kilometer elevation was around 63 meter, I took 11:42 minutes for that and the thirteenth kilometer elevation was 136 meter, I took 18:14 minutes for that. So whenever the elevation increased my pace decreased, I was exhausted after the thirteenth kilometer, for sixteenth kilometer I took 18:58 minutes.

In the second lap I walked most of the time rather than running. I had no clue that this is what I had signed up for. Meanwhile seeing tourists and couples visiting the botanical garden and clicking pictures. But at the same time it was something I wanted to do, Batumi Botanical garden is very beautiful.

In the second lap I ran alone for most of the time, there were less participants for 21 KM, no wonder why. At times it was scary as well, running/walking in deep plants, thinking there might be a snake or an animal behind me, ready to bounce on me. The entire run was around 22 KM, I took around 4:20 hours, in all my runs this has to be the most difficult one.

The event was well organized by Love.Run.Batumi Club with clear markers for directions, volunteers with signposts and after 5-6 KM distance desks with water and bananas. But even then at times it was hard to find the trail, at certain points it was not clear whether to go straight, left or right.

The total elevation was 1070 meters and some of the runners finished very quickly, but that was not the case for me. Took some rest after the run, there was a kids run as well. Booked a Yandex to my hostel, stopped at Meydan Restaurant, ate a Chicken döner, walked to my hostel and took some rest.

Some of the photos that I took that day