Bandipora, Sept. 9 -- Suhail Rather

Three young local athletes under the banner of Team Pathfinders successfully completed a 42-kilometre full marathon from Razdan Pass to Dawar in Gurez Valley, braving thin air, steep gradients and heavy rains.

The high-altitude sky run, attempted for the first time on this route, was led by Tanveer Khan, popularly known as Tanikhan, along with teammates Jalal and Mir Danish. The marathon began yesterday morning at Razdan Top (3,550 metres) after mandatory security clearances and concluded at Dawar (2,560 metres) in five hours and forty minutes.

"The run was not just about stamina; it was about spirit and survival," one of the team members said, describing the challenge of running amid low oxygen leve...