Ladakh Marathon 2018 - My experience on running 42 KM on 11000 feet altitude. Some items may help those who wants to run first time at Ladakh.

1. My Ladakh Marathon Run 2018
Krishna, an avid runner 

2. Ladakh Marathon
The highest and one of the toughest marathons in world!
11k – 17k feet Height…
http://ladakhmarathon.com/

3. 7 months before the run - February 2018
We seven decided to embark this journey…
(a Kannada Movie Director, a Cult Running Coach, a Zumba Instructor, and 4 Software Engineers including me)

4. 6 months before the run - March 2018
At Nandi Hills Bangalore Practice Runs..

5. Next 3 months: April - June 2018
Some occasional runs here and there happened; but all does their own favorites as below…

6. 2 months before the run - July 2018
5 went to TROT full marathon
42K and 3 finished, 2 pulled
out in the middle 
2 guys went for 50K Hennur
Bamboo forest and finished
within 7 hrs run but both
broke the ligaments 
 Coach was yelling
all time – do that;
do this…
 But we were
in this mood…

7. 1 month before the run - August 2018
last minute patch up – some serious business..
Running out of time…
Hoping to close….

8. But did, home work - 1
Watched Videos…
① Official Promotional video -
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zESj4a-2A2U
② In Hindi – very good Ladakh marathon overview -
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oWw4MOPb2EM
③ How to Prepare For Low Oxygen in Leh Ladakh - Preparation for
AMS(Altitude Mountain Sickness) – Carry Medical Kit please -
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ds-_8q0-lQE&t=17s
④ How we can Run Half or Full Marathon - In Hindi Dr Rajiv Sharma
Psychiatrist - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k4WxJRhvJp0
⑤ What you need to run(Headband, Eye Glasses, DryFit Shirt, Light
Shoe, sweat sox, Water + Salt + Electrolyte) -
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wyfvQFxyoBs
⑥ Ladakh General Video -
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MxabJmSxBkc&feature=yo
utu.be
⑦ 2016 Run - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BzWxmQUWxJs
⑧ Khardung la challenge finisher Shailendra Singh Bisht | Runner's
High - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=226THF9NoM8
⑨ Runner’s High | E19 | Vijayaraghavan Venugopal -
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hoxQFvFXIZk
⑩ 2017 One personal story – watch between 33 - 36 minutes -
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YINeJJzLpqA
Good reads…
1) Good read material – what you need to carry
https://www.slideshare.net/jaypalparmar2/ladakh-
marathon-itinerary-9n10d
2) My maiden 42.2 - The Ladakh Marathon -
http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/travelogues/181037-
my-maiden-42-2-ladakh-marathon.html
3) Elevated in Youth: My Ladakh Marathon Story
https://medium.com/@saurabh.panjwani/elevated-to-
youth-my-ladakh-marathon-story-a4d79efaa862
4) Good read
https://www.slideshare.net/jaypalparmar2/ladakh-
marathon-itinerary-9n10d
5) Dharma - http://protonssports.com/ladakh-marathon-
package.html
6) Book - Running with the mind of a meditation
7) Book – Born to Run

9. home work - 2
Clothes & Food
Please have all these carry.
• Wear cap – as its very hot by 9am
• Glass also help – photo chromatic
• Trousers / T-Shirts (Dry fit will be good)
• Mask – will help fight pollution
• Good shoes – This is MUST! 5-10K INR range you can get one. Most
of us had Asics shoes.
• Medicines – AMS and other stuff.
• Water bottle – you can carry a small one but there are 14 water
stations on track.
• FOOD: Btw, Till race finish - make sure no alcohol, no hard food,
eat moderate; don’t try anything new oily/masala food.
– (those are rules but you can try whatever you want.. , so did we….)
Shoppings & Adventures
• Shopping - https://www.lehladakhindia.com/shopping-in-ladakh/
– Ladakh Art Palace on the Main Bazaar Road
– Tibetan Handicraft Emporium on the Main Bazaar Road
– Ladakh Environment and Health Organization on the Main
Bazaar Road, Tibetan Handicraft Community Showroom in
Choglamsar
– Cottage Industries Exposition in Changspa, Ecology Centre,
Women's Alliance in Changspa
– Main markets in Leh are: Tibetan Market off Old Leh Road for
clothes, Moti Market near the Leh bus stand
– Leh Ladakh India offers tours to Leh and Ladakh.
Adventures – https://www.thrillophilia.com/adventure-activities-in-ladakh
bike trip, quad biking, jeep safari, Rafting, sight seeing,
camping, camel safari, mountain biking, trekking
Note: – Only BSNL/Airtel postpaid phones will work there; not any prepaid; don’t take
chance!

10. Days before the run - September 2018
Day – 7 : Sun
•Batch 1 landed at
Leh. The running
coach & 2
musketeers!
•They had their test
run and sent us a
scary video of
breathing problem…

•We the rest sitting at
Bangalore got
freaked out!!!!
•Started taking
Diamox – a tablet to
acclimatize….
Day – 6 :Mon
•The gang went to
Kardhungla Pass –
17.5K feet altitude,
that too on motor
bike 
•Too treacherous
terrain and oxygen
levels are too low.
•There was a run
called Kardhungla
challenge 72KM,
some daredevil guys
attempted on Sept
7th. Dharma from
Proton is one of
them!!!!!
Day - 5 :Tues
•They had more runs
and all got bruised
and beaten by the
weather 
•They keep sending
videos to us to get
mentally set what
we are going to get
in….
•They were lacking
motivation (?) and so
was eagerly waiting
for us to land there..

Day - 4 :Wed
•The Batch 2
including me, total 5,
landed at Leh.
•To our surprise, we
were lucky to have
one upcoming
Kannada film actress
joined our gang 
•She was the
cheerleader with us,
and it helped us a lot
keep going.
•Collected the Race
Kit and posted first
facebook post. Likes
start coming…!!
Day – 3 :Thurs
•Visited Phangong
lake. 200KM
treacherous driving –
17K feet attitude
•12 hr trip – But had
an amazing
experience with
army folks. Very
courteous guys, was
offering tea/hot
water to all 
•Photo session
everywhere – Likes
too many on
everyone’s FB
page…. 
Day – 2 :Fri
•Went out for Rafting
in Indus River –
Superb experience.
We all jumped in to
the chilled river
water. I WILL NEVER
FORGET THIS 
•Night stayed at a
remote village, had
bonfire, drank Yak
milk to get energy
boost 
•Awesome villages,
Went to a monastery
10th AD built on the
bank of Indus River.
Day – 1 :Sat
•Went out for
Marathon shopping
at Marathon SHOP.
Spent pretty good
sum there…..
•Went to Hall of
Fame Army
Museum. Awesome
place, Watched the
Beat the retreat
parade at Evening –
everyone must visit
this place - You will
be amazed!!!
•Night – Curd rice for
all 

11. Terrain – Leh/Ladakh

12. Get Acclimatised …..
 The concentration of oxygen at sea level is about 21% and the barometric pressure averages 760 mmHg. From
that base if you consider sea level as 100% Oxygen:
– Bangalore (3000 ft) - 88%
– LEH (11500 ft) - 64%
– Khardungla (18000 ft) - 50%
– Everest base camp (18000 ft) - 50%
– Everest (29000 ft) - 33%
 ACCLIMATISATION - your body can adapt to the decrease in oxygen molecules at a specific altitude -
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Acclimatization
 Pressure - https://www.avs.org/AVS/files/c7/c7edaedb-95b2-438f-adfb-36de54f87b9e.pdf
 AMS - http://ladakhmarathon.com/acclimatisation/altitude-sickness/

13. Race Day – Top 10 events …
1) Got up at 4am and had ready by 5am. Had proper cloths including caps, headband, Googles, water
bottles & mobile phone.
2) To Venue: Walked 2 km to the race starting point - Weather was chill 5C
3) Participated in the stretching exercise and then event warmup starts. Full marathon started at 6am,
was little chilly but by 9am it was too hot.
4) The track is downhill/flat in first half and then uphill second. So adjust your speed. Cover first half in
2.30hrs and then do the second half in 4hrs (second part is tough, good climb).
5) Carry a phone and record few moments. You are not aiming for any PB timing, just see the amazing
views  thats what you are here at LEH….
6) The race:
 Must finish the race by cutoff 6.30hrs, else you will not get the medal. By 10am it will be too hot to run, have the cap!
 I could do it in 5.52hrs. All of us got medal. Some had little trouble with oxygen.
 Memorable one were - Our Director even finished the race with fever & at 6.29hrs my wife crossed finish line
irrespective of big oxygen issue/multiple Ambulance help .... 
7) Met a bunch of awesome people on trail – runners as well as bystanders including small little kids to
Indian Army Officers  had lots of good smile 
8) Do some stretching, pick the food packet for lunch and must eat some……..
9) Get the medal, have some clicks. Feel it top of the world!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
10) Go to hotel and crash!!!

14. The Race, a life time moment….
You cross
Indus River
multiple times..
3 idiots school
Dalai Lama
vacation home
Several
Monasteries
Breath taking
scenic
views….!!!
The Finish Line

15. After Race Celebrations….
• There were several pubs/hotels, but Sunday is dry day (No Alcohol + No Non-Veg)
• Buddhist Leh, so make your own arrangement. You can guess what we did …  !!!

16. Back to Home  The Day after- Monday