The Everest Marathon
The Last Gasp - Lobuche to Gorak Shep
22.11.2003
The short walk to Gorak Shep is the final day of the trek where everyone spends the last night before the race. It’s just 3 miles (as described yesterday), but there is work to do first, and the all-important medical tests to complete. Marshals, doctors and staff who need to go down the course head back along the glacier (except those who are manning Lobuche), and everyone else moves up.The medical involves an examination and simple tests, like being able to walk a straight line, and the pass certificate here is a set of 3 race numbers, with any medical details written on the back by the doctor. (There is still one more night to go however, and there have been cases of evacuation from Gorak Shep.) Only one doctor goes up to Gorak Shep, and they will then follow the race down in the back-up team sweeping the course.
For the staff it’s a testing time. Everything and everyone has to in the right place for tomorrow, and that’s no easy task, especially as yak loads can’t be split up. (Nor can you make a yak go any faster!)
At Gorak Shep there is little to do but try and stay warm. It’s intensely cold. One job is to have a practice start, where numbers are called out to register that everyone is on the line, and race packs are carefully prepared with all the mandatory equipment. Pre race preparations like toe taping are done today and some will even sleep in their race kit, rather than dress in the morning. They will sleep with their shoes and water bottles too, to stop them from freezing. In the morning the aim is to get out of the tent only minutes before the off and to start with warm feet and some water to drink.
Everyone will be in bed early, no one will sleep well. The trek is over, its time to run the world’s highest marathon.See All Event Posts
