By Ken Severson
Mohan Ambaty has done it again.
The Carmel resident completed his fourth half marathon on a different continent June 15 when he visited South Africa.
“I completed this half marathon run (Big Five Marathon) in South Africa,” Ambaty said.
Ambaty finished 26th in the men’s division and 44th overall.
It was a tough course, Ambaty said.
The route was through the African savannah, where runners expected to encounter elephants, rhinoceroses, water buffalo and possibly lions and leopards. The course was covered with sand, loose rocks, pebbles, holes and elevation changes.
“It’s inside a game preserve, and we run on the same space as lions and gazelles,” Ambaty said. “The rangers (of the preserve) took care of our safety. There were impalas on the path in front of us, so it’s very unique and like National Geographic.”
Ambaty, 55, is an experienced runner. He completed first half marathon when he was a college student in India.
Ambaty is the chief information officer at the Indiana Department of Health and has made running not only a hobby but a way of life. He has completed several 500 Festival Mini Marathons and runs frequently to hone his skills.
Ambaty has completed half marathons in Asia at the Great Wall of China, Antarctica on King George Island in 2022 and Australia in the outback in 2023.
“You didn’t see that many animals running in the outback compared to South Africa,” Ambaty said. “It was red sand, and the course was very tough, and snakes could be hiding. That was my only fear there.”
In June 2025, Ambaty plans on running a half marathon in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
“That run will be in the city and the beach,” Ambaty said. “It is supposed to be up and down hill.”
