Runners at Sunday’s Pole of Chilly–Oymyakon Marathon in Siberia, one of many world’s coldest races, crossed the end line with their hair and eyelashes encrusted with snow and ice. The annual sub-zero occasion within the Oymyakonsky District of Yakutia, Russia, generally known as the “Chilly Pole,” noticed 50 bundled-up individuals conquer distances from 5K to 50K, in keeping with Yakutia Media.
Within the Russian Far East, Yakutia hosts a marathon held in -54°F (-48°C)
Runners are solely allowed take part after strict medical testing.
Robust individuals. pic.twitter.com/hX5CtvOx0P
— Chay Bowes (@BowesChay) January 11, 2025
Leonid Zykov of Pokrovsk, Russia gained the 42.2K race; the 34-year-old has a marathon private better of two hours and 40 minutes, and is a two-time champion of the Pole of Chilly half-marathon occasion. “After about 23 kilometres it grew to become actually powerful for me,” Zykov advised the media. “My liver began hurting, so I’m working as [best] I can.”
Yukatian runner Aleksandr Moedo, 42, claimed first place within the 50K ultramarathon.
Marathon individuals, starting from age 18 to 70, raced in honour of their family who fought within the Nice Patriotic Conflict; this 12 months marks the eightieth anniversary of the battle’s finish.
Throughout this time of 12 months, the frigid -50 C temperatures are all too acquainted to the realm; its all-time lowest temperature on document is -67.7 C in 1933. Yakutia’s regional capital Yakutsk can also be the world’s coldest main metropolis.
When you’re trying to take part in subsequent 12 months’s race, it isn’t as simple as simply signing up. Every runner reportedly has to bear medical testing earlier than being cleared to race and is accompanied by medical personnel all through the gap. Members additionally drink sizzling drinks as a substitute of chilly ones in the course of the race. “It’s nice,” one runner, Alexei Belov, advised the media. “Very calming. The character is gorgeous.”
🇷🇺The intense race was held in Yakutia at a temperature of -50 levels.🥶
Members ran with portraits of their family who participated within the Nice Patriotic Conflict, in honor of the eightieth anniversary of the Victory.
A part of the funds raised from the occasion might be used to… pic.twitter.com/YWCeulbIek
— Tibo91 (@Tibortibor15) January 12, 2025
Regardless of reaching these unfathomably chilly temperatures this 12 months, the circumstances weren’t the coldest within the race’s historical past. In 2022, runners trudged by means of temperatures of -53 C, breaking the Guinness World Report for coldest marathon.
Pictured under is final 12 months’s winner:
Extra outcomes will be discovered right here.