Dr Umesh Bhammarkar at Pangong | Photo Credit: Special association
The World’s Highest Frozen Lake Marathon-2024 is formally registered within the Guinness Book of World Records. Even although Bhammarkar had signed up for the total marathon (42 kilometres), a change in weather conditions on the day of the run with the wind velocity going up, noticed the organisers proscribing the run to 21 kilometres. Bhammarkar accomplished the run in over three hours and is again within the metropolis and his clinic. “All the runners who signed for 42kilometers needed to do 21 kilometeres on the recommendation of the organisers.
Having run the second version of this marathon, the marathoner says he ran nearly all hills within the Hyderabad and spent a mean of two to 3 hours at Snow World (a synthetic snow theme park) to get a really feel of minus temperatures. Apart from including layers of clothes to maintain heat, runners put on sneakers with a particular attachment to the only real to keep away from skidding. His preparation concerned lots of power, plyometric, resistance and purposeful coaching.
Dr Umesh at Leh Ladakh | Photo Credit: Special association
Umesh has been operating marathons since 2015 and has lined nearly all in India. How does he fee the Pangong Lake marathon by way of issue? “On a scale of 1 to 10, it needs to be 10, it was tougher than different runs I’ve finished to this point. The altitude, chilly and wind velocity make it probably the most tough runs in India. It can be a prestigious marathon organised by the Indian Army. At occasions, the wind velocity is so excessive that your nostril will get blocked and visibility comes down.” However, essentially the most tough half for Bhammarkar was the nosebleed, one thing many individuals expertise at such altitude. “Add to all these difficulties, I additionally skilled numbness in my toes and fingers as a result of chilly. The temparature there was between -27 levels centigrade to -30 levels centigrade,” he provides.
Sharing recollections of how he began to run, Bhammarkar says the runners on Necklace Road with the particular jersey and marathon bib impressed him. “On weekends, I’d see marathon runners all alongside Necklace Road. I used to be intrigued by the enjoyment on their faces on completion. I signed up for a five-kilometre run simply to get a really feel for it.”
Dr Umesh on completion of his run | Photo Credit: Special association
He was not solely shocked that he accomplished the run, however he additionally learnt there could be a particular coach for runners. “That’s after I first met my mentor Jacqueline Babitha Xavier (JBX). She is a operating and health coach. I made a decision to offer my newfound ardour (operating) the much-needed consideration. While coaching with JBX, I noticed that with correct steerage, one can run higher, breathe higher and keep away from accidents.”
There was no wanting again for Bhammarkar after that. Even although he heard about frozen lake marathons in Switzerland and Antarctica, he needed to do his first in India.
Published – February 27, 2024 04:09 pm IST
