LEH, Sept 11: Finishing a 122-km ultra marathon at high altitude is a formidable challenge for athletes from outside Ladakh, requiring months of preparation and acclimatisation, said Rajasthan runner Suraj Meena after securing second place in the Silk Route Ultra Ladakh Marathon on Friday.
Meena was the highest-placed non-Ladakhi runner, completing the race in 12 hours and 35 minutes.
“I am very happy. It was a dream come true. Finishing the race in around 12 and a half hours is a big achievement for me,” Meena told PTI after completing the event.
He said competing at high altitude is particularly demanding for runners who are not accustomed to Ladakh's conditions.
“It is very difficult for people outside Ladakh because of the heavy breathing at high altitude. I have trained for this and have been training here for the last one month,” he said.
Meena said this was his third appearance at the Ladakh Marathon. He first participated in the full marathon in 2022, competed in the Khardung La (KC) event last year and took part in the Silk Route Ultra this year.
Recalling his race strategy, Meena said he led the field until around the 40-km mark, after which the increasing elevation and reduced oxygen levels made the race more challenging.
“I was leading till 40 km, then the elevation started increasing. The oxygen was getting heavy, so it became difficult to run. I adopted a run-walk strategy and focused on maintaining my pace,” he said.
Meena also recalled his cycling journey from Jaipur to Ladakh in 2024 to participate in the marathon.
He travelled around 2,400 km from Jaipur to Ladakh via Manali, completing the journey in 12 days.
“I liked the mountains so much that I did not realise how I covered the distance in 12 days,” he recalled.
After the event, Meena cycled back from Ladakh to Jaipur via Kashmir, covering around 1,500 km in 12 days.
His performance in the Silk Route Ultra adds another milestone to his growing experience in long-distance running and endurance sports at high altitude.
