Ladakh Marathon

Ladakh Marathon

Logo of Ladakh Marathon
Date 1st or 2nd Sunday of September
Location Ladakh, Jammu and Kashmir, India
Distance Marathon
Primary sponsor Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council (LAHDC)
Established 2012 (2012)
Official site www.ladakhmarathon.com

The Ladakh Marathon is a marathon held in Leh, a town in the Ladakh region in the Indian state of Jammu and Kashmir. It claims to be the highest marathon in the world, held at a height of 11,500 to 17,618 feet (3,505 to 5,370 m).[1][2] The fourth running of the Ladakh Marathon was held in 2015. It is full member of Association of International Marathons and Distance Races.[1][3][4] The marathon was organised "to foster national spirit and to encourage sport in Ladakh".[5][6] It is the fifth marathon from India to get international recognition.[7]

History

The Ladakh Marathon was started in 2012 following the 2010 Ladakh floods which claimed 200 lives as well as making several hundred people homeless. According to The Tribune of India, "The initiative was started to convey to the world that Ladakh is back and running. It is aimed at encouraging the youth of Ladakh to live a healthy lifestyle by taking up running in hostile weather conditions and by becoming more aware of the need to protect the environmentally fragile region."[4][8]

The Ladakh marathon is claimed to be the highest marathon but this claim is not supported by the Guinness Book of Records which recognises the Everest Marathon which starts at over 5,200 metres (17,100 ft),[9] though 72 km Ultra Ladakh Marathon goes up to height of 17,618 feet.[1]

Organisation

The Ladakh Marathon is organised by India's Rimo Expeditions with the support of the Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council (LAHDC). The LAHDC is an autonomous government body which administers the Leh district. Apart from recognition by the Association of International Marathons and Distance Races the competition is supported by the tourism ministry of the Jammu and Kashmir government. "Timing Technologies" and "Enerzal" energy drink are sponsors of the event.[5][10]

Events

Shanti Stupa (Peace Monument) is the place where the marathon starts

The Ladakh Marathon is divided into the four following categories:[1][2]

  1. 7 km Race: This is shortest form of this marathon. Schools students as well as tourists usually participate in this race. Although it is shortest form of the race, it still requires good physical health to run it at height of 11,500 ft.
  2. Half Marathon: 21 km race. It starts at Shanti Stupa (Peace Monument) and passes through Choglamsar village.
  3. Full Marathon: 42 km race. It starts and ends in Leh town, and passes through the Leh valley. The marathon course crosses the Indus river several times en route.
  4. The Khardungla Challenge/Ultra Marathon: 72 km race. It starts in the village of Khardung and then continues uphill on the way to the village of Khardung La at a height of 17,618 ft. With a distance of 72 km and a height of up to 17,618 ft, it is known as toughest and most challenging event of the Ladakh Marathon. "Travel India" called this event the "Mother of all Marathon races".[2]

Participants

The inaugural running of the Ladakh Marathon in 2012 included 1,500 participants. Since then number of participants has been increased. The 2013 edition had 2,200 participants while in 2014 about 3,000 people participated. The recent 2015 marathon included more than 4,000 participants from 20 countries.[4][5]

Acclimatization

Board of Indian Army regarding caution at high altitude

The Ladakh Marathon is held at a height of 11,500 to 17,600 ft. Acclimatization is the foremost issue at this height. Altitude sickness can occur at this height due to lack of oxygen. The Ladakh Marathon has a long pre-marathon work-out schedule to train the participants, helping them acclimatizing to the high altitude and hilly conditions. As per the official website of the Ladakh Marathon, athletes participating in 72 km "Khardungla Challenge" should arrive at Leh at least two weeks before marathon day.[11]

Winners

The Khardung La Challenge (72 km)

Winners of 72 km "The Khardung La Challenge" also known as "Ultra-Marathon" are as follows.[5][7][12][13][14][15]

Year Winner Nationality Time Runner up Third place
2012 Padam Limbu  India 08:52:20 Konchok Namgail –
2013 Rigzin Norbu  India 06:55:02 Tsering Gyatso Stanzin Wangyal
2014 Shabbir Hussain  India 06:35:00 Rigzin Norbu Tsering Gyatso
2015 Tsewang Todan  India 06:33:41 Rigzin Norbu Tsering Stobgais

Since 2015, special 72 km Khardung La Challenge for women was started.

Women Khardung La Challenge 72 km winner

Year Winner Nationality Time Runner-up Third place
2015 Skalzang Dolma  India 10:58:56 Khushboo Vaish Tsetan Lamo

Women’s Full Marathon 42 km

Year Winner Nationality Time Runner-up Third place
2012 Jigmet Skitzom  India 04:51:30 Padma Lhamo Tsetan Dolkar
2013 Tsetan Dolker  India 04:54:05 Sonam Chuskit Claudia Meier
Judith Klemenz
2014 Sonam Chuskit  India 04:10:12 Namgail Lhamo Dechen Chuskit
2015 Tsetan Dolkar  India 03:40:37 Jigmet Dolma Katharina Leuthner

Men’s Full Marathon 42 km

Year Winner Nationality Time Runner up Third place
2012 Tsering Gyatso  India 03:36:18 Tsewang Thinlas Rigzin Angchuk
2013 Shabir Hussain  India 03:25:33 Jigmet Norboo Tashi Zangpo
2014 Shokat Ali  India 03:16:58 Jigmet Namgail Mustafa Ali
2015 Fayaz Ali  India 03:02:31 Padama Namgail Tsering Tondup

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 Siddarth Rishi Battula (11 September 2015). "Your guide to the 2015 Ladakh Marathon". Yahoo News India. Retrieved 2015-09-14.
  2. 1 2 3 "Ladakh Marathon 2015: Runners, gear up for world's highest marathon!". Travel India.
  3. ↑ "LAHDC organises 3rd Ladakh Marathon at Leh | Business Standard News". Business-standard.com. Retrieved 2015-09-14.
  4. 1 2 3 "4,000 runners ready for Ladakh Marathon tomorrow". Tribuneindia.com. Retrieved 2015-09-14.
  5. 1 2 3 4 "Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council organised 3rd Ladakh Marathon at Leh". M.jagranjosh.com. Retrieved 2015-09-14.
  6. ↑ Tribune News Service. "With courage higher than mountains, amputee to run Ladakh marathon". http://www.tribuneindia.com/news/ludhiana/with-courage-higher-than-mountains-amputee-to-run-ladakh-marathon/128547.html. External link in |work= (help)
  7. 1 2 "4th Ladakh Marathon witnesses huge participation". Jammu Kashmir Latest News – Tourism – Breaking News J&K.
  8. ↑ Max Lovell-Hoare; Sophie Lovell-Hoare (1 July 2014). Kashmir: Jammu. Kashmir Valley. Ladakh. Zanskar. Bradt Travel Guides. pp. 95–. ISBN 978-1-84162-396-2.
  9. ↑ Highest marathon, Guinness World Book of Records, Retrieved 9 October 2015
  10. ↑ "Leh – Official Site". leh.nic.in.
  11. ↑ "Ladakh Marathon – Acclimatization Issues". Ladakh Marathon. Retrieved 22 September 2015.
  12. ↑ "Ladakh Marathon – Results 2012". ladakhmarathon.com.
  13. ↑ "Ladakh Marathon – Results 2013". ladakhmarathon.com.
  14. ↑ "Ladakh Marathon – Results 2014". ladakhmarathon.com.
  15. ↑ "Ladakh Marathon – Results 2015". ladakhmarathon.com.
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