Four men from Hyderabad swapped their city’s balmy winter for Ladakh’s biting cold, lacing up for what’s been dubbed one of the world’s most extreme races—the Pangong Frozen Lake Half Marathon. Held at an altitude of 14,272 feet, the event is recognised by the Guinness World Records as the highest frozen lake half marathon in the world.
Set against the surreal, snowlaced landscape of Pangong Lake, the race tested the mental and physical limits of 75 participants, who ran 21.9 km over ice between Merak and Maan villages. For Hyderabad’s Praveen Goel, Naveen Sinka, Bikkina Venkata Rajesh and Ratan A, the challenge was as much about personal resilience as it was about climate awareness.

Summers to sub-zero
Temperatures dipped to -20°C with piercing winds and dangerously slippery terrain. For 29-year-old Ratan A, an Indian Navy officer, the cold proved the fiercest opponent. “Running in -16°C against head-on winds pushed me to the brink. But the sheer mental effort to ignore the cold and keep moving helped me overcome a long-standing fear of freezing weather,” he said.
Back in Hyderabad, Ratan had trained in layered clothing to simulate the chill. Once in Leh, he arrived four days early to acclimatise, running in the thin mountain air to prepare his lungs and legs. “The biggest challenge was knowing I had to layer up and still run effi ciently. The preparation had to be both physical and psychological,” he said.
For IT professional Naveen Sinka, 45, the blinding glare of the sun off the ice and the altitude tht left him breathless turned the race into a battle of endurance. “Every breath felt like we were gasping for air. Our faces went numb and even our water froze mid-run,” he said. Having been a marathon runner and badminton player for 15 years.
“We focused on acclimatisation and stability. We trained with cleats for grip, tested energy gels, and practiced hydration when everything freezes,” he added. The most demanding part, he said, wasn’t the ice but the mental isolation—running on a stark white landscape, often with no one in sight, and only the crunch of cleats for company.
Bikkina Venkata Rajesh, a 50-year-old software professional, saw the race as more than a personal milestone. “I was more interested in participating because it was tagged as #TheLastRun. Due to global warming, Pangong may stop freezing soon,” he said. For him, the run carried a deeper message: a visual and physical reminder of climate change’s accelerating grip.
Practicing runs at passes
Rajesh took his time to adapt to the altitude, even practicing runs at 4,300 meters after visiting the Khardungla Pass. Having trekked and run in the mountains before, he knew better than to rush training. “You’re gasping after even a short run at that height. Cleats help with traction, but they also put a hard push on your feet,” he said.
Despite sudden winds and cloud cover on race day, he remained unfl ustered. “I was mentally prepared.”
For entrepreneur Praveen Goel, 42, the run was both physical and philosophical. A longtime athlete and public health advocate, he viewed the race as a symbol of urgency. “The name ‘Last Run’ wasn’t just catchy—it was a stark reminder of how fast we’re losing our natural treasures,” he said.
The expedition included structured acclimatisation stops and visits to environmental initiatives like artifi cial glaciers, giving participants a firsthand look at how local communities are adapting to the climate crisis. “It made me reflect on the resilience of not just the human body, but the spirit of these communities. If we can use such experiences to draw attention to the planet’s health, then every frozen breath is worth it,” Praveen said.
Diverse backgrounds
Despite their diverse backgrounds—a naval offi cer, a corporate entrepreneur, a software veteran, and an IT marathoner—the four were united by their desire to push boundaries and raise awareness.
Now back in Hyderabad, their journey continues in new forms. Ratan has his eyes on Ironman Goa. Naveen plans to summit Kilimanjaro. Rajesh is chasing a 6000+ mt Himalayan peak and Super Randonneur cycling status. And Praveen continues his advocacy work, inspired anew by the stark white silence of Pangong.