Here is an excerpt about an extraordinary sporting event that happened recently in Bhopal. Two locals, Bhagwan Singh and Mahesh Khurana, have earned their place among elite athletes by undertaking an arduous challenge. They were part of the recently concluded Pangong Frozen Lake Marathon 2024, a significant sporting event held in the scenic region of Leh-Ladakh.
This remarkable marathon has been dubbed as the ‘World’s Highest Frozen Lake Marathon’. The second edition of the event took place on February 20 amid harsh weather conditions. Runners braved falling snow and freezing temperatures of up to -15°C at a towering height of 18,680 feet. These elements combined made this marathon one of the most challenging in the world.
Singh, a sports department employee, shared that every participant had to pass rigorous medical tests before the marathon. Due to the adverse weather, the initial 42-km marathon had to be shortened to a 21-km half marathon. Singh is not new to challenges, as he is also known as the first mountaineer from Madhya Pradesh who climbed Mount Everest, the world’s highest peak.
The event received support from various agencies. The Adventure Sports Foundation of Ladakh organised the marathon, collaborating with the Administration Union Territory of Ladakh and the 14 Corps of the Indian Army. The gruelling event drew approximately 120 runners from seven different countries, competing in two categories – a 21 km race and a 10 km race.
The exhilarating world of marathon running also extends to other parts of the globe. For example, the RCC Magnum Foundation hosted a marathon to support vocational training for the underprivileged in Besant Nagar. Then there’s Gurgaon, which recently announced its first internationally certified marathon. Lastly, across the seas in France, a couple have embarked on a life-changing journey of weight loss and well-being by becoming marathon runners. The couple is now set to participate in the L&T Sea Bridge Marathon.
These athletic events all remind us of the endurance, determination and courage within us that’s ready to be tested and ignited through such extreme challenges.
Vocabulary List:
- arduous (adjective): Involving a lot of effort and difficulty
- braved (verb): Endured or faced with courage
- gruelling (adjective): Extremely tiring and demanding
- exhilarating (adjective): Making one feel very happy, animated, or elated
- endurance (noun): The ability to endure an unpleasant or difficult process or situation without giving way
- ignited (verb): Started or triggered
