London, Jan 14 : A Scottish runner has broken the
women's record in the world's toughest, highest race --
Everest marathon -- this year.
Angela Mudge, 37, who has a doctorate in physical
chemistry, returned home after beating the long-standing
record for the marathon by 13 minutes.
The Everest marathon is listed in Guinness World records
as the World's highest marathon.
The start is close to the Everest base camp in Nepal,
and the finishing line is at the Sherpa town of Namche bazaar
at 3,446m (11,300ft).
Mudge finished eighth overall and was the second western
entrant to cross the finishing line of what is officially the
highest race in the world.
"The big challenge wasn't the race, it was getting to the
start line fit," Mudge, who completed the race in 5 hours 2
minutes, told the times.
The women's record had been held by Anne Stentiford, a
Briton, who finished in 5hr 16 min 3sec. The present men's
record is 3hr 50min 23sec.
During the long trek to the start, near Everest base
camp, about 80 per cent of the competitors suffered diarrhoea,
altitude sickness, deep-vein thrombosis, reduced lung capacity
or chest infections.
"I was surprised how much the altitude affected me," she
said.
"I didn't get altitude sickness, but i had a loss of
appetite and felt rough," Mudge added.
Before the race all runners meet for a 25-day holiday in
Nepal so they can acclimatise to the high altitude.
Among the most notable winners is Jack Maitland, another
Scot, who in 1989 set a record of 3hr 59m 4sec, which was
unbeaten for a decade.
Bureau Reports
