Ladakh Marathon – Indian National – 2022
Ladakh Marathon is a unique opportunity for runners from around India and the world to run with local Ladakhis through an ancient Buddhist kingdom grappling with the rapid changes of today. The historic capital of Leh, the stunning vistas as you cross the Indus River and the dramatic climb up to the Khardung La from Nubra will leave you with lifelong memories and a chance to say you ran Ladakh, the world’s highest marathon. It is an annual event that takes place in LEH during the month of September. Being certified by AIMS (Association of International Marathons and Distance Races), it has put the event on the global marathon calendar. Khardung La Challenge, one of the four races of the event, is now the world’s highest and among the toughest ultra marathons, that is attracting some of the best runners from across the globe.
05 KM RUN LADAKH FOR FUN
The 05 km run is the shortest race and has attracted the widest participation among runners across different age groups and genders. This race is particularly for fun and is open to everyone ranging from students to elders, armed forces and families stationed at Leh, and tourists who happen to be in Leh during the marathon time.
10.5 KM RUN
The 10.5 km Run is a loop that starts and ends at the NDS Memorial Stadium grounds. Running this 10.5 km race will surely help you prepare for the other challenging races of Ladakh Marathon.
HALF MARATHON
The Half Marathon takes you through the outskirts of Leh and includes a loop that starts and ends at the NDS Memorial Stadium grounds. If you are not ready for the full marathon yet then running the half marathon first helps you prepare for the marathon. The beautiful race course is known for being particularly tough, despite being comparably shorter than the full marathon.
MARATHON
The 9th edition of 42.1 km Ladakh Marathon is a qualifying race of Series XIII of the Abbott World Marathon Majors Wanda Age Group World Rankings
Running a Marathon is itself a challenge but running the LADAKH MARATHON (42.1 km) is even a greater challenge. A tough race at a high altitude, the Ladakh Marathon is not for those with no experience in running marathons but for those who have had dedicated themselves to several months of training. Individuals new to running should begin with a shorter distance and then move up. If you are a serious long distance runner this will be one race that will be a “must do” and one that you will always remember and be talking about for a long time to come.
KHARDUNG LA CHALLENGE (5370m)
The Khardung La Challenge (72 km) is the Highest Ultra Marathon in the World. This race is amongst the Toughest and Ultimate Challenging Endurance Race for the serious runner who wants to push his or her limits to the extreme. This race is Only for the fittest and very experienced runners. The harsh conditions makes this extremely tough as you will be running approximately 60 kms of the race at above 4000 m (14,000ft)!!! Hence the number of participants to this race is restricted to a maximum of 200 runners. This race is scheduled for Friday 09 September 2022 to ensure singular logistical focus and attention to the runners and to make this ultra-marathon a prestigious event.
SILK ROUTE ULTRA (122 KM)
The ancient ‘Silk Route’ across the Karakoram pass connected North West India with Central Asia from Yarkhand, Kashgar and Turkestan. This route was strategically important and one of the longest trade routes in ancient time. It was not only an exchange of commodities but also a cultural exchange of customs that took place till the mid 20th century as this is seen in the rich cultural heritage that Ladakh has to offer. As this famous Silk route passed through the Nubra Valley (Ldumra – the valley of flowers), this race has been aptly name the Silk Route Ultra.
This ultra race is for all those who have been running the Khardungla Challenge for several years and for those ultra runners and Ironman athletes who always want to test their endurance further.
Number of participants to this race is restricted to a maximum of 50 runners. This ultra race is scheduled for Thursday 08 September 2022, starting from the village of Kyagar.
