TRAIL
We took our time , and had plenty of rest stops and photo opportunities . Being away from the dusty road with the fresher , colder but cleaner air allowed many wonderful photographic opportunities . Also , going slowly allows one ’ s body to gently acclimatise ( and function ) at the higher altitudes . As there is less oxygen , one has to work much harder for the same amount of effort at sea level , and going up too quickly can lead to various degrees of altitude sickness . Headaches are common , and loss of appetite , and in its extreme form , it can lead to serious health issues , through pulmonary ( in the lungs ) or cerebral ( on the brain ) oedema . The milder forms can be alleviated through taking various medications , but the best decision is to ascend slowly , drink plenty of fluids , and share any discomforts with your fellow guides and buddies .
We ascended gradually for 5km , had a superb lunch stop near the highest point on the trail , and then descended for another 5km , until we once again reached the main road . We then walked for about 6km to the main town on the eastern side of the trekking circuit , Manang . It was a very beautiful walk , although as the afternoon progressed , the wind picked up and
Suzette doing some more trekking , with the Annapurna Massif as backdrop
it became cold . Manang lies at over 3500m , and most trekking groups spend rest days here to acclimatise before taking on the Thorung La Pass and continuing along the trekking circuit . The town is situated on the northern slopes , which obtain more sunlight in summer , and also have the least snow cover in winter .
On our approach hike , we saw many yaks , which were being used to transport equipment , expedition bags and camp gear for trekking groups . It is much easier to have herders supervise a team of yaks carrying many bags , than the numerous porters that was the original tradition of getting from one place to another . The yak , also known as a grunting ox , is a species of long-haired domesticated cattle found throughout the Himalayas . They are heavily-built animals with bulky frames , sturdy legs , and long , shaggy fur with a dense woolly undercoat to insulate them from the cold . Their physiology is well adapted to high altitudes , whereas at lower altitudes , they are prone to suffer from heat exhaustion . The bulls have horns that sweep out from the sides of the head and then curve backward , while the female horns are smaller and have a more upright shape . We had to be very careful when a yak train passed by , as their horns are very sharp , and can cause serious injury .
Planning the Marathon
Our rest day at Manang was crunch day working out the logistics and an amended route for the marathon , as Apollo had changed his mind about the up-anddown 10km section on the single trail path we had done the previous day , and instead , we would run along the main road . This meant we wouldn ’ t have those uphill sections to negotiate , and at that altitude , that was a blessing ! So , Apollo , the local guides and James thrashed out a route for the marathon that would avoid most detours off the main dirt road , and using their GPS , measured a full marathon distance . By remaining on or near the road , Apollo ’ s race-day logistics would be much simpler , as he could set up refreshment tables by the roadside , and his support vehicle would be readily available to assist any of us in the event we became disorientated or compromised .
The original choice of the marathon start was at Tilicho Lake , one of the world ’ s highest lakes at 5100m . However , given our timetable , and the fact that it was another 1500m higher in elevation than Manang , the team agreed that it would not be feasible to start at that altitude , as we did not have sufficient time to acclimate . Instead , we would start at the next village on our route , Khangsar , at 3800m . We would then trot / hike to the next settlement at Serikarka ( 4000m ), pass by the local monastery , and after a turn-around , the route would mostly be on a downhill trajectory , although there would be several more uphill sections . There would be a second turnaround point approximately 5km after Pisang , further along the dirt road after the finish line , to head back to Pisang – the proverbial ‘ sting in the tail ,’ as most of those final 5km would be uphill .
The amended route was not complicated for the runners to follow , or difficult to arrange . Apollo would organise his marshals to be at the few sections where a detour off the dirt road was required , and along the dirt road , tape would be strategically marked on prominent bushes or trees , while the refreshment stations would be stocked with a variety of drinks and snacks . Most importantly , from our perspective , starting the marathon 1200m lower than originally envisaged was most welcome !
The yak is widely used in the Himalayan region for transport
Trekking in the Pisang area , with Piang Peak in the background
Images : Scott McIvor , Travel Way of Life / Wikimedia , Udhabkc / Wikimedia
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