Everest Marathon

Sooo, who wants to run the Everest Marathon??

It is billed as the highest marathon in the world and runs from Gorak Shep, the last village before Everest, back down to Namche. So basically you get to do the Everest base camp trek up and then run a marathon back down. Doesn’t sound grueling at all.

It was hard enough just to hike uphill in the area where the start of the marathon is. It takes minutes for you to catch your breath as the oxygen level at that altitude is only half of what it is at sea level. And the trail is so rocky that I know people have to walk some of it if they don’t want to break an ankle. My knees are still recovering just from my brisk walk down, I can’t imagine the beating they take if you throw running into the mix.

When I had just started hiking back to Gorak Shep from base camp, a lady jogged by me on the hilly, rock-covered glacier. At the time I just thought she was nuts. I kept waiting to hear her scream reverberate off of the mountains. Personally, I preferred to watch carefully where I placed my feet so I wouldn’t slip down the glacier. Later I heard from someone else that she was training for the marathon.

Since I’ve only done half marathons so far, I think I’ll start with a full marathon closer to sea level. But hey, I wouldn’t mind going back one day. I mean, in what other marathon do you have to compete for trail space with trains of yak while running by some of the world’s highest peaks?

(p.s. – if you’re interested, this short interview briefly describes what it’s like to be at the oxygen levels at base camp. this one has a little more description as well)

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