Vivek Singh is a Running Omni Sport Leader for Decathlon Patna. There was a time when he thought that running 1 km was too much for him. From that, he went on to finish the Ladakh Marathon, the highest marathon in the world in 5 hours and 5 minutes.


"It was just a year before the run that I was not even running long-distance runs. And now I found myself at 3500 meters above sea level at the start point of the highest and one of the toughest marathons in the world, the Ladakh Marathon! My friend Hariom Singh and I had casually talked about running the Ladakh Marathon around a year before we ran it, we seemingly spoke it into existence." recalled Vivek.

An early start


Here's Vivek's experience of running the Ladakh Marathon - "The alarm rang at 3 AM in the morning on race day. After knocking off some stretches and taking a shower, I started to put my gear together, shoes, socks, hydration bag, which would be my best friends during the run."

If you want to gear up for your run, you can check out Decathlon's running apparel and running accessories here - Decathlon's running collection.


Gearing up for the Ladakh Marathon with Kalenji Running gear


"The assembly point was a fifteen-minute walk away, I took some bananas and dates along the way, high on anticipation for the run. We were joined by more and more runners, people from all over the world, all smiling at each other, wishing each other good luck, chatting with local kids who were running along."


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"We reached the point from where we’d be taken on a bus to the starting point. The sun was yet to shine and I couldn’t wait to get started. I wasn’t thinking too much about anything, except being in the moment to the fullest and enjoying every bit of it. I was nervous and happy at the same time for taking on the challenge which lay ahead. It was still dark when we reached the venue, lit up by electric lights."


Together we run

"Even though there were people from all over, speaking different languages, we could all feel a similar sense of happiness and togetherness as we were about to take on a challenge together with goodwill towards each other."

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"We were given some general instructions, then the countdown started. 10, 9, 8. 7…3, 2, 1!!! Flagged off!! I was full of joy as the run started. We got a close view of the Stok Kangri Mountain, I’ve always been in awe of the mountains, it was such a thrill to run under their shadow."


"Up until 21 KM, I was in good shape, enjoying the scenery, the hills and the villages along the way. It was a really beautiful route. I was lost in dreams while running. My friend and I were running alongside a few other people, we were cheering each other on. When we reached the 34 km mark, things really got uphill, literally. That section tested everyone hard. One runner started getting cramps, I asked him to take more fluids and he began to walk along the way a bit."

Vivek Singh finished the Ladakh Marathon in 5 hours and 5 minutes

"The last 3 KM towards the end of the race was the most difficult for me, the road got steeper and the going got beyond tougher. It tested me down to my very core. But giving up was never an option for me. In my mind, the only choice was to complete the race and cross the finish line strong. People were cheering on, saying Last 500 meters! Last 400 meters! Finally, last 100 meters!! And I don’t know from where I got the energy to finish hard!"


"From thinking, “Running one KM? Oh my God! It’s too much!” not a long while ago, to now finishing the highest full 42 KM marathon in the world in the Ladakh Marathon, running has taken me many places. I’m already looking forward to my next marathon! Come run with me!"

Come visit Decathlon Patna at City Center, Patna and you can meet Vivek Singh as he guides you on your next adventure.

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