MINSK, 8 February (BelTA) - A police officer from Minsk ran 50 kilometers at a marathon in Russia’s Yakutia in temperatures of -42°C, according to the Belarusian ONT TV channel, BelTA has learned.
Aleksandr Golota is the first Belarusian to conquer this distance. A traffic police inspector by profession, he is a person with a particular thirst for new emotions and a drive to test his own limits.
For Yakutia, such weather is a usual thing. Lasting nine months a year, winter is a way of life. And even in summer, weather may surprise with temperatures plummeting to -10°C. Oymyakon is known as the coldest permanently inhabited place on Earth. Breath turns to vapor and freezes on the face into icicles. People don’t end up here by accident. Tey come to test themselves in an extreme marathon. A winter with temperatures of -42°C is considered warm.
“No one knows how the body will react to such cold. I didn’t know either,” Aleksandr Golota admitted. “It’s tough to get in. You have to pass a selection process. Just being among the participants is already a great achievement.”
According to him, it's crucial to choose the right gear and pace oneself. For him, the most challenging part was pushing through the remaining distance after running 30 km. “You have to endure, negotiate with yourself. The body was certainly overloaded, but there was a sense of calm within. After finishing, emotions overwhelm you,” Aleksandr said.
To ensure a successful start, he conducts training and light warm-ups before each race, followed by a barefoot walk in the snow afterward.
There were special requirements on the outfit. Athletes dressed up according to the “cabbage” principle: three layers of clothing and two pairs of socks. Shoes would freeze solid, so athletes ran in sneakers as if they were army boots.
Aleksandr said he has his sights on new distances and new challenges.
Aleksandr Golota is the first Belarusian to conquer this distance. A traffic police inspector by profession, he is a person with a particular thirst for new emotions and a drive to test his own limits.
For Yakutia, such weather is a usual thing. Lasting nine months a year, winter is a way of life. And even in summer, weather may surprise with temperatures plummeting to -10°C. Oymyakon is known as the coldest permanently inhabited place on Earth. Breath turns to vapor and freezes on the face into icicles. People don’t end up here by accident. Tey come to test themselves in an extreme marathon. A winter with temperatures of -42°C is considered warm.
“No one knows how the body will react to such cold. I didn’t know either,” Aleksandr Golota admitted. “It’s tough to get in. You have to pass a selection process. Just being among the participants is already a great achievement.”
According to him, it's crucial to choose the right gear and pace oneself. For him, the most challenging part was pushing through the remaining distance after running 30 km. “You have to endure, negotiate with yourself. The body was certainly overloaded, but there was a sense of calm within. After finishing, emotions overwhelm you,” Aleksandr said.
To ensure a successful start, he conducts training and light warm-ups before each race, followed by a barefoot walk in the snow afterward.
There were special requirements on the outfit. Athletes dressed up according to the “cabbage” principle: three layers of clothing and two pairs of socks. Shoes would freeze solid, so athletes ran in sneakers as if they were army boots.
Aleksandr said he has his sights on new distances and new challenges.
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