Gobi March 2008
GOBI MARCH: Racing along the Silk Road
By : Evangeline Majawat reporting from Beijing
IN the far-flung corner of northwest China, 180 endurance athletes from 29 countries have gathered to compete in the Gobi March, an endurance event that locals call “The Return of No Return”.
For the first time, a young Malaysian who “never liked running” will be tackling the 250km of high desert.
Michael Wong, 26, must be crazily in love to attempt this event, for he will be participating with fiancee Choon Yann Leow, from Singapore.
The couple is raising funds for Pure Charity. Wong works with Goldman Sachs in Singapore.
The seven-day race, with some days covering up to 40km and including one that is overnight, is one of the toughest in the world.
The athletes will not be just running, or walking. They will also be carrying their own rations for the whole seven days, and all the gear they need to survive the torturous race, including sleeping bags. The organisers will only be providing five litres of water daily to each participant.
The race, starting on Saturday, will be held in the Kizilsu Kirghiz Autonomous Prefecture located along the ancient Silk Road.
The race begins on the edge of Kyrgyzstan and winds through mountainous terrain with altitudes reaching about 3,000 metres.
Read the whole article at www.nst.com.my
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