Mhow (Madhya Pradesh): In a feat of extraordinary endurance and determination, Brigadier Sanjay Dikhit (retd) recently completed the Ladakh Umling La Challenge, the highest half-marathon in the world, traversing the treacherous terrain of Umling La Pass at a staggering altitude of 19,024 feet—significantly higher than the Everest Base Camp.
The route followed the highest motorable road ever constructed by the Border Roads Organisation (BRO), making the run not just an athletic challenge, but a physical and mental trial against nature itself. This wasn’t Brigadier Dikhit’s first encounter with Umling La—he last visited the pass on a motorbike in 2022—but this attempt on foot, over its unforgiving high-altitude wilderness, was an altogether different battle.
Arriving in Leh (11,500 ft) on July 9, Brigadier Dikhit undertook a rigorous but limited acclimatisation schedule, training briefly in Khardung La and Koyul (14,500 ft), and trekking to Umling La just a day before the race on July 20. The short acclimatisation and brutal conditions—including 50% oxygen levels and biting wind chill—meant this was not a race for the faint-hearted.
Out of only eight total participants (two each for 10K, 21K, 50K, and 70K), Brigadier Dikhit was the oldest. The race pushed even the fittest to their limits. “Even running downhill busted my quads,” he recalled. “Each leg seemed weighed down, as if dumbbells were attached.” Yet, demonstrating immense grit, he completed the half marathon in 2 hours 31 minutes—well within the 4-hour cutoff time.
His journey was as much internal as external. Haunted by doubts and cautions—“Don’t be a Gama in the land of Lama,” and “Why take this risk at your age?”—even medical experts hesitated to clear him. But with unwavering trust in his training and inner voice, he took what he called “a leap of faith.” “The wilderness was simply mesmerising,” he reflected. “To run alone in such stark, surreal beauty was indescribable—an experience far removed from the chaos of modern life and deeply rooted in the serenity of SE Ladakh.”
For Brigadier Dikhit, this wasn’t just an adventure—it was a triumphant reaffirmation that mental strength and self-belief can defy the odds. His story now stands as a beacon of inspiration for all who dare to push their limits, regardless of age or altitude.
.png)
