First time in India, Snow Marathon will be organized in Lahaul, Himachal on 26th March in the association of Lahaul-Spiti administration, reaching India with the participation of nearly 100 runners from across the nation, running on snow-covered terrains of Himachal’s Lahaul valley.
Due to travel restrictions, the runners from other countries are not participating this season. Besides Indian armed forces, from many states marathoners are taking part in the Snow Marathon as the Lahaul-Spiti administration has announced to make it an annual event held every year in the winter season, the runners will also be allowed from other nations from next year onwards. Lahaul has been chosen for this extreme winter sports as the valley remains covered with snow for most time of the year.
While addressing a press conference at Palchan near Manali on Saturday, Lahaul-Spiti Deputy Commissioner Neeraj Kumar said that this marathon will be more challenging than any other existing format and will enhance the runner’s ability.
Reportedly, the Snow Marathon will be organized in four categories – the full marathon, where participants would be covering a distance of 42 KM, and the other three varieties will be half marathon with 21 KM, 10 KM, and 5 KM with the administrative, logistic, and monetary support under the leadership of Winter Sports Federation of India president Col Jodh Dhillon.
The organizers said that they are fully prepared to deal with any medical emergency during the event. Doctors, Paramedics, and two modern life-saving ambulances will be kept ready while air evacuation cal also is done in case of emergency to ensure safety.
Col Natarajan, an aviator with the Indian Army & Chief Program Advisor said that they present this gift to the local people in the form of the Snow Marathon, which they love to organize at other parts of the district to promote winter sports and tourism. Said by Natarajan, who has been part of more than twenty marathons, this has been possible with the opening of the Atal Tunnel.
