Ladakh’s long-distance runner Nawang Tsering credited his recent experience at the Ultra-Trail du Mont-Blanc (UTMB) in France for helping him secure the Silk Route Ultra (SRU) Marathon title with a record-breaking performance.
Nawang completed the gruelling 122-km Silk Route Ultra in 12 hours, 12 minutes and 18 seconds, finishing with a record margin and underlining his endurance in one of the region’s toughest ultra-running events.
Speaking to PTI in Leh on Friday, Nawang said his participation in the UTMB in France had prepared him particularly well for the challenging terrain.
“I am very happy to win the title with a record margin. UTMB in France helped me a lot because I had run in the steep mountains and rocks. So, it helped me here,” he said.
The Ladakhi runner said the comparatively long stretches of road running during the Silk Route Ultra posed a different challenge from the mountainous terrain he had recently encountered at UTMB.
“Here I was like running on the road. The road running was so long that I did not even do that much,” Nawang said.
Despite his strong performance, the race took a heavy physical toll on the athlete. Nawang revealed that he experienced considerable pain and cramps in his body while covering the 122-km distance.
His victory adds another notable achievement to the growing ultra-running credentials of the Ladakh athlete, with his experience on international mountain trails proving valuable on home terrain.
