The Great Tibetan Marathon: 42 km of physical challenges in spiritual surroundings

    /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.

Official website of The Great Tibetan Marathon.

About Adventure Marathon
Adventure Marathon is a series of extremely tough marathons set in spectaclar surroundings.

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