Frozen Lake Marathon: India's first "Frozen Lake Marathon" is going to be held soon at Pangong Tso in Ladakh. The race, to be held at an altitude of 13,862 feet, will be held on February 20 and the Army and the Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) have been involved in implementing a "proper action plan".
The 21 km marathon will start from Lukung and end at Maan village. Seventy-five selected athletes from India and abroad are participating in the race, officials said, giving them a chance to bid for the Guinness World Record for the world's highest "frozen-lake marathon". It is being organized by the Adventure Sports Foundation of Ladakh (ASFL) in collaboration with the Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council-Leh, the Department of Tourism, and the Leh District Administration.
The 700-sq-meter Pangong lake on the India-China border records temperatures of minus 30 degrees Celsius during winters, causing the saltwater lake to freeze. This race is to be held here.
Regarding this marathon, the officials hope that this will give a boost to tourism. Let's District Development Commissioner Shrikant Balasaheb Suse says Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Vibrant Village scheme will "help develop habitations along the Line of Actual Control through tourism opportunities". 50 athletes from outside the U.S. will participate in the marathon, apart from local athletes representing the region at the national level, as well as four international runners.
Participants coming from outside have to undergo mandatory acclimatization which will include a three to four-day stay in Leh to recover from high altitude sickness. To make this program a success, the District Development Commissioner has invited more and more people to come to watch the program.
If you are also a nature lover and adventure lover, then a trip to Ladakh can be a great option for you. Through this marathon, one will enjoy the experience of running on the world's highest frozen lake, which can also become a Guinness World Record. So what to think if you are planning a trip then Ladakh can be a better option at this time.
