Two athletes from Bhopal, Bhagwan Singh and Mahesh Khurana, have earned acclaim by successfully finishing the Pangong Frozen Lake Marathon 2024 held in Leh-Ladakh. This marathon was carried out on February 20th and it was the second time it took place. It holds the title of being the ‘World’s Highest Frozen Lake Marathon’.
The marathon was extremely challenging due to its high altitude of 18,680 feet and freezing temperatures of -15°C. Amid these tough conditions, the initial 42-km marathon was shortened to 21-km due to bad weather. Bhagwan, who is also the first mountaineer from Madhya Pradesh to conquer Mount Everest, told us that the participants had to pass difficult medical tests regularly during the preparation period.
The Adventure Sports Foundation of Ladakh managed the event with support from the Administration Union Territory of Ladakh and the 14 Corps of the Indian Army. The marathon exhilarated 120 runners from seven different countries, who ran in two categories – 21 km and 10 km.
In other news, there have been several developments in the marathon realm. RCC Magnum Foundation held a marathon to offer vocational training to the poor, comprising 2,500 participants and race categories of 1.5 km, 5 km, 10 km, and 21 km.
Gurgaon has also entered the marathon spotlight with its first internationally certified race. Lastly, a couple named Pooja and Sandeep, who transitioned their lifestyle through running, are excited to participate in the L&T Sea Bridge Marathon after completing the challenging Border 100k ultra marathon in Jaisalmer.
Vocabulary List:
- Acclaim (noun): Praise and approval.
- Altitude (noun): Height above sea level.
- Exhilarated (adjective): Made somebody feel very happy, excited, and alive.
- Vocational (adjective): Relating to or providing the skills and education necessary for a particular job or career.
- Internationally (adverb): Involving more than one country.
- Transitioned (verb): Undergo a process or a period of change; move from one state or condition to another.
