I did not believe that this could be done - until it was announced. The trek takes anywhere from 25 to 28 days at a normal pace – to attempt to do it in five days and actually accomplish it, is nothing short of a superhuman fit. I wait to see who and, how many, will remain standing at the end of the race period - 17th October, 2022 which is today.
There is nothing not to admire about these racers - they are attempting to achieve something God never intended should be a normal human activity. Having myself plodded through all the regions that the racers will pass through during the race, I pay obeisance to these super athletes for their superhuman capacity and endurance.
To me it is of no consequence who wins the race - but that they have the level of fitness, tenacity, determination and the will power to successfully complete the race. I do not believe that the Snowman Race trail is the world’s toughest on its own merit - but for the fact that the distance is being conquered in the time frame of five days. That is the incredible thing!
A reputed international magazine contacted me - wanting to know if I would be interested to cover the race on their behalf. I said, YES!!! YES!!! YES!!. I told them that I already have all the passive footages they will need - from my treks into the alpine wilderness traversing the entire length of the race trail. The only thing is that I will need minimum of two helicopter rides – one to the top of Keche-La in Lunana areas, and another to the top of Jueley-La in Dhur areas, so that I am able to capture the racers on the go. The scene I would have been able to capture from the Jueley-La top as the racers snake up from Jueley Tsho to the top of the Pass, and then descend down to Animo Tsho would have been breathtaking. Racers racing upto the Kechey-La as they pass the lake on their right and then plunge down the Pass, would show some stunning scenes!
For whatever reason the magazine decided not to go through with the plan - my loss 😓
Lake below Kechey-La Pass
Tarigung with the twin Tari Tsho in the foreground
Day break at Animo Tsho below Jueley-La
Something puzzles me: the fact that close to 50% of the international racers - no question they have got to be among the world’s most competent extreme altitude racers - had to withdraw on grounds of HAPE (High Altitude Pulmonary Edema). Thank God there has been no fatalities so far. Didn’t the racers acquaint themselves with the altitudinal variations of the race trail? That is the first thing they should have found out. They obviously did not.
They could have caused the country serious loss of face.
Hats off to all the runners, and especially to our own Bhutanese athletes. I still can,t fathom how these people are covering 43km per day over 5 days. I did the Snowman,s trek and still refer to it as the Mother Fucker of all treks - and I mean it in how tough it is.
ReplyDeleteThank you "our athletes" for showing the rest of the world how tough and versatile we Bhutanese are. Pelden Drukpa Gyelo!!!
Very proud that the race was dominated by our own Bhutanese.
ReplyDeleteVery disappointed that the first prize was a paltry sum of Nu.200,000 only. Right from start to finish, the race was tauted as the toughest and most beautiful race through Himalayan mountain passes and alpine meadows but the prize did not reflect the true grit, courage and simply "balls" needed to complete the race.
The race and participants afforded great publicity and advertisement for Bhutan and especially the Snowman Trek. Our Bhutanese participants did us proud and surely the proverbial "Pot of Gold at the end of the Rainbow" could have been much much much bigger.
The irony is all those experts discussing climate change within the confines of their cozy offices might be walking away with a bigger prize than the winners who really showed the true impacts of climate change in the mountains.
I pray the Bhutanese corporate sector chips in to show our true appreciation to the winners.
I have to believe that it was the brand BHUTAN that drew in the world's very best extreme altitude racers to compete in this race - not the US$2,600.00 prize money. A well marketed brand can do wonders, as they say, even sell a pair of shoes to the crocodile.
DeleteYah and to think TCB is doing a great job. Fuck all the people who think this lot of TCB idiots are doing a good job. Dorji Dadrul and his bunch of idiots should have been the first victims of the "managed out" lot.
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