FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Jesper Dichman
Adventure Marathon
Administrator
The Great Tibetan Marathon:
42 km of physical challenges in spiritual surroundings
A marathon is never just a walk in the park. But if you're a real
hard-core marathon fan you won't settle for the flat, asphalted
routes in the classic city marathons. Fortunately, a marathon can
be moved to mountainous regions with laborious ascents and uneven
tracks in an altitude of 3,600 meters.
/24-7PressRelease/ - COPENHAGEN, DENMARK, July 19, 2007 - On July 21 the
Tibetan Plateau in northern India will be swarmed with runners joining in
The Great Tibetan Marathon. The base of the race is the scenic and
atmospheric town, Leh, capital of Ladakh Province - the westernmost
province on the Tibetan Plateau and one of the only places in the world in
which Buddhism permeates the society and the everyday life of the
residents.
The Great Tibetan Marathon is nothing like traditional marathon courses on
even roads in well-known surroundings. The mountainous terrain, in which
the marathon takes place, naturally makes the tracks rugged, the air
deficient in oxygen and the views right-on spectacular. No need to say,
this is a tough race. So tough, actually, that it was voted Toughest
Marathon on the Most Extreme Marathons-list by Forbes Magazine. See the
full list here
Apart from its challenging nature, the marathon gets its exoticism from the
Tibetan Buddhism, which distinguishes the Ladakh Province. The marathon
starts in the courtyard of the 350-year-old Hemis Monastery where a lama
will bless all runners before takeoff. A blow in long Buddhist horns will
mark the start of the race - the traditional pistol shut must resign due to
the holy Buddhist settings. The marathon course runs from monastery to
monastery, and Buddhist monks dressed in traditional red and yellow gowns
will serve as helpers along the way.
The course follows a scenic route criss-crossing the magnificent Indus
Valley on the Tibetan Plateau. The surrounding mountains are more than 6000
meters high, the trickling streams are abundant, the gorges are deep and
the scenery continuously switches from lush green fields and cedar forests
to barren stone deserts - in short, a landscape of unparalleled beauty. The
marathon course is dotted with prayer flags, religious monuments called
chortens, and long stone mani-walls carved with sacred inscriptions.
The low oxygen level in the Ladakh Province is one of the factors that make
The Great Tibetan Marathon so exhausting. Taking a 42 km run - or a 5, 10
or 21 km run which is also a possibility - at this altitude on the day of
arrival would be the straight way to serious altitude sickness. For this
reason, the journey begins with a mandatory 5-day period on the plateau for
acclimatising. These five days are reserved for relaxing, consuming plenty
of water and drinking in the atmosphere. Before or after the stay in the
highlands, a period of exploring northern India is offered. This may take
marathoners and accompanying travellers to Delhi, Agra and Taj Mahal.
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