Alfa Trail Run

10/07/2022

With deep regret we have to declare that, due to unseen circumstances in local village, we have to call off ALFA Trail Challenge for a while.
We will resume once we arrive at a solution.

To our dear participants we have already initiated a complete refund of your registration amount (many must have already recieved it)

We know... It hurts us also to take such a drastic step, but we strive to deliver the best experience to our participants and can not compromise on the quality.

12/04/2022

Block your date for Alfa Trail Challenge - 28th August 2022
KALYAN DOMBIVLI RUNNERS (KDR) mygalf.com

04/05/2020

Social Responsibility - An APPEAL to all..

In our earlier post we mentioned about the possible peril that the remote Adivasi villagers would be in if the lockdown extended into May. ( https://www.facebook.com/1379549718776756/posts/3027603523971359/ ) Now with that being a reality, many families could go hungry soon.
We recently received a message from our mentor and Social worker Adv. Indavi Tulpule who figured out how to tackle their long term problem.
We appeal to you all to generously donate some amount. Your donation can feed a family for months.
(Note: ATC/ALFA Adventure is not collecting any money, please transfer directly to the NGO account mentioned at the bottom)

The message;
"Namaskar!
The lockdown that began in March 2020 shows no signs of abating. In April, With the help of all our socially committed friends and well-wishers, we provided basic necessities to about 730 families of tribals, who were facing starvation due to unemployment. Through administrative follow-up and public interest litigation in the courts, we also made attempts to ensure the fare priced grains through the ration system and free grains through the Covid relief scheme were available to all.
But now, small Adivasi farmers are facing the issue of paddy seeds required for sowing in June. Generally these farmers use the wages they have earned between the months of January and May to buy seeds and fertilizers to sow their farms in June. Due to the lockdown and the lack of employment this year, the farmers are not able to buy the required paddy seeds and planting is likely to be in jeopardy.
Therefore, the organization has decided to distribute paddy seeds to the most needy farmers and we are raising funds for this. Approximately 8-10kg of seed is required per acre of land. The price of seed varies from Rs. 50 to Rs. 90 per kg. We are planning to give 10kg each to 200 farmers.
If you and your friends are able to and would like to participate in helping us raise the necessary funds, please send your help to the following account.

Vana Niketan
State bank of India
Murbad branch
A/c no. 11405247109
IFSC SBIN0000292

Thank you!
Indavi Tulpule
Shramik Mukti Sanghatana, Thane, Maharashtra, India."

20/04/2020

ATC wishes for your safety and healthy well-being.

We, with a heavy heart, wish to inform that ALFA Trail Challenge 2020 has been called off. The decision has been hard to make but it had to be taken as it’s uncertain how the COVID-19 Pandemic unfolds. Though the cases in India are rising, but with the hard work of all the doctors, nurses, police and various bodies involved, situation is improving. We hope that the situation turns-up positive in the coming weeks, though it may not be totally normal. It is important to monitor the immediate phase after the pandemic settles completely.

These are challenging times for everyone around us. Various reports / agencies are giving their predictions and projections of the impact and duration of the virus spread. Things have turned very volatile worldwide. Looking at these uncertainties, the organizing team of has decided not to hold the 2020 edition of the trail race. Health and safety of running community as well as local rural community is of prime most importance to us. Also our aim of delivering the best running experience to participants will not be met with the small window we might get now.

Hence the team has proactively decided to shift the 4th edition of to 8th Aug 2021. And we promise that you’ll have something extra, something more challenging, more value for money next year. Till then, the team will take this opportunity to organize itself better and to work on other long pending, exciting new projects. We are setting the ball rolling by announcing our next challenge, surely unique, the first of its kind:

NANEGHAT VERTICAL TRAIL CHALLENGE.

And be assured it will be challenging and thrilling. Bookings of the same will open after the current pandemic subsides.

Till then stay safe, stay home. Follow the instructions and guidelines laid by the government authorities. Keep exercising at home. Stay safe and healthy. You’ll get good tips and guidance from our trusted partner - Wellness. At Work on keeping your mental and physical health the best. Take care of yourself and your loved ones.

Last but not the least, we thank all those who are out working now, risking their lives to keep ours safe!

Be Safe,
Team ALFA Trail Challenge

14/04/2020

Social Responsibility - Lock Down!

With the dark clouds of COVID-19 slowly engulfing our city, our state, our country, things have come to a near-full stop. It is like while in mountains, when a swarm of agitated bees fill up the sky, you are supposed to freeze and cover yourself, wherever you are...You move, you'll be attacked !! Same with Coronavirus, you move out and you'll put yourself and others in danger!

We all know as businesses have come to a halt, many daily wage workers / daily earners have been left without any means to earn their daily meals. Many individuals, NGO, government bodies across the city and everywhere immediately sprung into action and made provisions for their food.

One such section of tribal daily wagers has been left out of support as they are located in remote villages and no one could reach there. There are many small settlements of tribals (Karkari) around Murbad. Men, women from these huts majorly work at brick factories (Veet Bhatti) in villages nearby. Summer is the main season for them to earn and save their money for the monsoon season when they have no job. Come lockdown, all the brickworks have also been shut. These daily earners have been forced to go back to their huts empty handed. Right when they expected to earn for the rest of the year, they were left with nothing even for a week's consumption!!

Senior social worker Adv. Indavi Tulpule and our guide (who also honours the stage at ALFA Trail Challenge) identified not few but 800+ such families through her vast network. These families had been carefully shortlisted as those who didn't have any farm or any other means of feeding themselves. Alongwith couple of other groups, our team of volunteers from ALFA Adventure immediately sprung into action. Gathering funds and provisions, our team went to these settlements in first of April and handed these select families rations that would be enough for them for a month. All this was done alongwith local authorities and taking all measures for the safety as set by Government. Settlements in Shahapur and Murbad Talukas were covered. These are mostly on the boundary of Thane and Pune districts where help is difficult to reach. Our group has been able to reach out to @210 families.

With the lockdown being extended in Maharashtra and country, now the question of their food becomes more serious. Once the rations given are consumed, it pains to think how these helpless humans will feed their families. We now can't go there and give them more provisions fearing risk of infection. They are safer in their isolated dwellings. But if not the virus, hunger might take it's toll!!

We are trying to see if some method can be devised in which they can work in their local area and earn and survive. We also are trying to figure out with forest department if they could be employed for a while. But nothing is conclusive. Hoping that the new guidelines that our Hon. PM and Hon. CM are formulating will be of help to this fringe population.
If you have any idea, any resource we are all ears. Your suggestions are welcome.

Else we'll never know how many tribals we'll lose. The true sons of the soil will perish in soil, unknown, unaccounted in the virus list but definitely a by-product of this pandemic !!

22/03/2020

Hi All,
How are you all doing? Hope all are in self- imposed curfew, maintaining social distance and spending more valuable time with your loved ones.

You may be wondering what happened to this year's ALFA Trail Challenge. Well, I had been personally monitoring the situation across the globe on COVID-19. We had been reading reports and research papers since the advent of the virus in China initially and in the world later. We soon decided to differ the registrations (that we were to start in Jan) and put it on hold to see how the virus spreads. Surely, it has created havoc in each and every country and now it's in India. Our fears proved right, it did hit our country. And the graph so far has been very discouraging. It is following the dreaded exponential curve. Let's keep fingers crossed that the lock-down will flatten it out soon. Looking at the data so far, I am taking certain decisions, some provisions for this year's ATC. Once I discuss it out with other team members we will put out an official announcement. Health,safety and well-being of runners will always be top priority for us.

Till then maintain social distance. Though it is said running alone is ok, but I would discourage it in the city. Run only in places which doesn't see human flow. If you are in remote places then best, you can make it to the woods (alone) and practice. If not workout at home, build up on your core strength, work on muscle flexibility, let your body recover from your past marathons and get ready for the next season.
Be indoors and be safe.

-Meghan
(RD - ALFA Trail Challenge)

12/12/2019

Social Responsibility - Fulfilled !! 👍👍 Thank You for helping.

Hey all, How you all are doing? Most of you would be busy preparing for TMM or other races.
We also have been bit busy in few different things after the event. But nevertheless we didn't forget our commitment towards the society.
We sincerely thank all the participants, our sponsors, volunteers and generous donors. Because of you all, despite the heavy losses incurred the dual floods, we were able to make a small but valuable contribution in rural villages. ALFA Trail Challenge donated the profit to our charity partner Ashwamedh Prathisthan, for the Ulhas Museum and research centre.
Volunteers from both and some donors together distributed sandals and school kits to kids from Tokavde and Patharpada village. (You may remember the Patharpada School and its kids, who were cheering at the 2nd water station - at the junction after the climb).

We sincerely thank everyone involved directly or indirectly with ALFA Trail Challenge. We look forward for a bigger event and bigger support from everyone at ATC20!!
Happy Running.
Team ALFA Trail Challenge.

12/10/2019

History made...



CONGRATULATIONS...

The two hour barrier has been broken.

For so long, so many thought it was impossible, but Eliud Kipchoge becomes the first human to run a sub two-hour marathon. No Human Is Limited.

09/10/2019

ALFA Trail Challenge congratulates Sanjay Kumar for successfully completing Solang Sky Ultra.
ATC is proud of his super human achievements. And is happy that ALFA tshirt is one of his preferred tshirts at enduring events.

27/09/2019

Banned for 3 years..
For:
1) Running on another's bib.
2) Making an underage boy participate in event meant for adults.
3) Risking well-being of an underage boy in the event.

Rules are made for a reason and they are meant to be followed. Rule has lower age limit set as 16yrs and 18yrs for 10Km and 21Km, respectively. Despite that we found a boy aged 12years ran in ATC19 on someone else's bib, accompanied by his father.
ALFA Trail Challenge is a tough event by its nature. Being conducted in hilly wild terrain it has certain risks involved. We have multiple measures in place to minimise these risk. But it being a pure trail running event, we cannot alter the running surface, it's what nature presents at that moment. Apart from that there are other risks/dangers involved in mountainous terrain.
Hence, we have a STRICT no-kids policy. If you wish to get your kids/family/friends to the event, they are most welcomed. We encourage people to do so. There are areas where they can stand, enjoy around and cheer not just you but other runners also. But they are not allowed on the route. ATC is no child's play - literally!
We take kids more seriously than yourself!
Hence the organising team has decided to ban the father and the original bib holder from the event for 3 years.

27/09/2019

Alfa Trail Challenge 2019 Photos - Please Tag yourself/your friends.