The land of passes and unparalleled rugged beauty.
At Athlos, we have a special connection with Ladakh. We’ve run, we’ve hiked, and we’ve cycled here. Tested our products here. And we also launched our Merino collection during the 2018 Ladakh Marathon. A trip that started with a month-long recce, followed by a photo shoot with athletes like Sumit and Sugandha, ended with a half marathon finish for couple of our teammates.
Two cycling expeditions, one from Leh to Tso Moriri by Pravin, and another from Leh to Hanle by Shruti also followed in subsequent years. The latter is when our cycling bib shorts' and our latest product, the Merino beanie were tested further. Perhaps, saying we have a special connection with Ladakh might be an understatement.
While you should reach 7 to 10 days in advance. We've often seen people who are new to this environment, pushing themselves too hard too soon. It is important that you use the first 2 days to rest, hydrate and give your body the time to acclimatise to the altitude and thin air. Everything that can go wrong happens during the first 2 days.
For more on this refer to this booklet from the official website
Merino
Collection
For HER and HIM
Gear
Carry quick-drying, lightweight, and temperature-regulating gear. While the mornings can be chilly, the sun starts beating down by 7 am. Add to this the weather conditions change quickly in the mountain passes. So pack stuff that is versatile and tested.
We’ve put together a list of our products & other essentials based on what our team and customers have tested here over the years, at the Ladakh Marathon and other expeditions in the region.
Packing list :
1. Sun screen (Banana Boat or anything with high SPF). Apply sunscreen on the back of your neck. This is where most people get sun burnt during the race.
2.Cap
3.UV protection sun glasses
4.Lip balms
5. Woolen socks and gloves. Especially helpful for early mornings and late in the night.
6. Hydration bag. Also use the hydration stops, arranged by the organizers effectively through your run
Athlos customers have chosen our running collections for both men and women as their preferred gear for past editions, along with our temperature regulating merino baselayers.
Practice
runs
Only after 2 days of rest and acclimatization though. We recommend a run to Shanti Stoopa or Tsemo Gompa.
Eating
out
Leh has everything to offer from great coffees to the staple Tibetan noodle soup. Over the years our team and friends have discovered some real gems in Leh. Take the time to visit some of these while you're there.
Our favourites:
1.Namza - The best restaurant in Leh, serving authentic Ladakhi cuisine
2.Wazwan planet - Has a centeen vibe but serves good Kashmiri Wazwan, in main Leh market.
3.Bodhi greens - Vegan cafe in the main market.
4.Lehvenda Vafe : Good coffee,sandwiches and one of the best cafés in the main market of Lehleh
5. Metta Cafe Leh : Great coffee and hot chocolates. This cafe was started by a friend of Athlos, Tanvi.
Packing,
not packaging
We want to minimise our environmental impact and have been a work in progress. We always skipped plastic, and since June 2020, we started shipping our orders minus extra tags, invoices, and content that often ends up in trash.
