Himalayan Ultra-Marathon Nov. 1999

40 competitors from 11 countries took up the challenge.
The race was won by Michael Collins who lives in Seattle.

My wife Lorna and I picked this as our annual holiday last November. Lorna is not an exercise junkie. She went along as a comfort blanket and to take part in the 30K walk/trek which accompanies the marathon.

The acclimitisation is a problem. We had one day to get used to the altitude in Darjeeling (yes, where the tea comes from). I'd recommend 2 weeks in Katmandu. The text book says ascend 1,000 ft a day. The first day was the worst. We went up 8,000 and the effects hit everyone. For me it was constant nausea with stomach cramps and the inability to sleep.

There were compensations, such as the chance to run within eight miles of four of the five highest mountains in the world including Everest.

There were 40 competitors in all from 11 countries and I finished 18th in 22 hours 40 minutes.

I prepared by running long and slow and doing mountain races while concentrating on losing weight. Although we decided to eat vegetarian while in India, the food during the race was excellent and Lorna and I had no stomach problems. Ironically, the energy bars and drinks we brought played more havoc with the digestive system. I'm not convinced of their worth.

You'll need an Indian visa, a range of injections and you're advised to take a course of malaria tablets.

It'll cost close to 2,000 pounds. We booked through LPG at www.leisurepursuits.com; or you can contact the race director C.S. Pandey at cspandey@vsnl.com. This year's race starts on November 4.

Be Prepared to be shocked by life on the sub-continent. Away from the mountains, the poverty and deprivation of 1.2 billion people brings you down to earth with a thump.

I've since had invitations to the 147 mile Sahara marathon, and others in Death Valley and the Arctic Circle. This particular 'club' has no boundaries.

Edward Smith