Amritsar Woman Completes Gruelling 72-km Khardung La Challenge

For nearly 15 years, running has been a constant in Kanwaldeep Kaur’s life. What began as a few quiet hours reserved for herself amid everyday responsibilities eventually carried the Amritsar-based physiotherapist to one of India’s most formidable endurance races — the 72-km Khardung La Challenge in Ladakh.

Held as part of the Ladakh Marathon, the ultra-marathon takes runners through terrain where altitude can be as testing as distance. Starting at nearly 3,975 metres, the route climbs to Khardung La at about 5,370 metres before descending towards Leh. Around 60 km of the course lies above 4,000 metres.

For Kaur, a nutritionist and holistic health practitioner, reaching the finish line was the culmination of years of steadily building endurance rather than following a sudden or unconventional fitness regime.

“There is no magical stuff,” she says.

Running and yoga — including Yin Yoga and Power Yoga — have long been part of her routine. Over the years, shorter runs gradually turned into longer distances, eventually preparing her for marathons and ultra-marathons.

Ahead of the Ladakh challenge, however, training became considerably more demanding. Between May and August, Kaur devoted several hours to endurance preparation, while continuing to balance her family and professional responsibilities. She normally clocks about 40 to 45 km every week.

Some training sessions began as early as 3 am. Her 15-year-old son would accompany her and, along with her husband, keep track of her location and progress.

The race itself presented an altogether different test. Participants in the Khardung La Challenge must already have demonstrated their endurance credentials. Kaur had previously completed a full marathon on the plains in under five hours and a 50-km ultra in under six.

But experience alone could not make the Himalayan climb easy.

“Climbing a 5,000-metre mountain is a task,” she says, adding that mental preparation proved as important as physical conditioning.

As a menopausal woman, Kaur also had to pay particular attention to recovery, nutrition and maintaining muscle mass. She believes women navigating this phase of life need to listen carefully to their changing bodies rather than abandon demanding physical goals.

Ironically, one of the toughest moments arrived not on the ascent but during the final stretch of the descent, when exhaustion had set in completely. Yet the approaching finish also brought an overwhelming sense of relief.

The experience has already given Kaur a bigger target. Meeting women runners in their mid-60s in Ladakh has inspired her to consider returning next year for the event’s 122-km race.

For those looking for a complicated formula behind her endurance, Kaur’s prescription remains remarkably simple: consistent training, home-cooked food, adequate hydration, proper sleep and recovery.

“Take care of your body and your soul,” she says.