July, 2000 Sunrise, Sunset in Mongolia A Mongolian ultramarathon goes for a second run. On July 6, runners from all over the world will gather on the pristine shores of Lake Hövsgöl, located in the mountains of northern Mongolia, to power through an 18-hour test of wills. Mongolia's Sunrise to Sunset 2000, the second race of what is to be an annual event, will run through the highs and lows of the dramatic terrain in a whopping 62.1-mile alpine ultramarathon. The route traverses three spectacular mountain passes—Chichee Pass, at 7,546 feet, is the first and highest—and involves a cumulative elevation change of 11,040 feet. Racers will spend at least three days before the event acclimatizing to these altitudes. Last year, 36 hard-core runners from six continents participated in the race; two Mongolians, Tsogtbaatar Norov and Biambadorg Chogosom, took the top spots. For founders Chris Hazen, Nicolas Musy, and Tyler Pike, the Sunrise to Sunset began with a shared love of running outdoors in unsullied, far-off places. In late May 1998, while Nicolas was living in Shanghai, the three decided to go travel in Mongolia. While there, they went for a run at Lake Hövsgöl and fell in love with the location. "After that, we founded the race in a Beijing airport coffee shop, on the back of a napkin," Chris says, laughing at their enthusiasm. "We also had a shared desire to create an event that would contribute to sustainable ecological tourism in the region." More than an act of physical triumph, the non-profit race is motivated by cross-cultural exchange. Chris, Nicolas, and Tyler work closely with local residents, horse guides, and tour operators. In tribute to the cultural spirit of the event, most runners take an extra minute to circle the ovoo, or ceremonial cairn, that marks the beginning of the trail. The ovoo is constructed to pay respect to the gods who, according to local folklore, reside in and amongst the flora and fauna. Protecting Mongolia's natural environment is a key understanding among race participants. This year's race proceeds will either go toward providing vehicled transport for garbage out of Lake Hövsgöl National Park—the first national park to be founded in Mongolia, in 1998—or to hiring more rangers to work in the understaffed preserve. A significant part of the post-marathon revelry will be the Naadam Festival, a three-day celebration marking the anniversary of the 1921 Mongolian Revolution. Described by race organizers as "a combination of New Year's Eve, Mardi Gras, and Independence Day rolled into one," the holiday is celebrated by two million people through customary dancing, drinking, and song—not to mention a whole lot of food. Ferocious wrestling contests, archery demonstrations, and horse racing mark the first two days of the festival, while colorful parades and dramatic performances in the Mongolian nomadic tradition take place throughout. The love for the region that inspired Chris, Nicolas, and Tyler has proved infectious with race participants. "Mongolia is truly a special place," says American competitor Mary Ritz, the second woman ever to finish a marathon on all seven continents. "I feel honored and extremely lucky to have been able to run there." While in Mongolia, racers can journey 233 miles south of Ulaan Baatar into the Gobi Desert to visit Genghis Khan's abandoned capital, Kharkhorin. It's where the sun rose and set on the great Mongol empire, and a fitting place for the world's most elite ultrarunners to finish their visit to Mongolia. FOR MORE INFORMATION, check out www.ultramongolia.com IF YOU WANT TO RACE There is no race application cut-off date! For race details and registration, or if you're interested in volunteering for the event, contact organizer Chris Hazen directly at 510-551-8817 and visit www.ultramongolia.com. For visa information, call the Mongolian Embassy at 202-333-7117. To download a visia application, go to www.mongolnet.com/visaproc.htm. For the truly last-minute racer, you can now apply for a visa upon arrival at the Ulaan Baatar airport. If you aren't quite up to the whole 62.1 miles, do the first 26.2 miles (still an official segment of the race) and call it a marathon. ULTRAMARATHON: 1. A running event that is longer in distance than a standard marathon (26.2 miles). 2. A race that is at least 26.2 miles long that is run in extreme conditions. |
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 in this publication July, 2000 Urban Access: Scuba October, 2000 The Trapeze Revival |
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