Hyderabad mountaineer Abhishek Duttagupta’s Project 3K in Ladakh: Mt Kun, Mt Kang Yatse and the Ladakh ultra marathon

Between August 2 and September 9, 2022, Hyderabad-based marathoner and mountaineer Abhishek Duttagupta set a new personal milestone. The 45-year-old management professional summited Mt Kun (7077 metres) and Mt Kang Yatse (6240 metres) in Ladakh and completed the 72-kilometre Khardung La ultra marathon challenge. He calls this feat Project 3K and says the joy and satisfaction made all the years of training and practice that went into the adventure, worthwhile.

Working at a desk job in a multinational bank, Abhishek says he was looking for ways to get fitter. He chanced upon an article on the Mumbai marathon in Metroplus and was curious how he could be a part of it. That was the starting point. This was in 2014. “My son was quite young then; I did not want to be in a position where, when he is a teenager, I am a diabetic on medications. I was not overweight, but I wanted to get fitter.”

When he moved to Kompally on the outskirts of Hyderabad, the open spaces made it ideal for long walks; gradually he began running. He participated in a 10K run at the Bengaluru marathon, which in turn helped him qualify for the Mumbai marathon. In the last eight years, he has participated in the Mumbai marathon five times, Ladakh marathon thrice and Hyderabad marathon four times.

The interest in mountaineering, he recalls, harks back to his summer treks in Darjeeling while growing up in Kolkata. “I love the serenity of the mountains. Along with running, I was also keen to get back to treks and expeditions.” Occasional treks followed.

In 2021, he was keen to get technical knowledge before attempting to scale peaks above 5000 metres. “I wanted to learn how to use the ropes, ascenders, descenders, and how to walk on the snow. These are not easy to learn while on the trail.” 

Once he was confident about his skill sets, he wanted to combine mountaineering and running. He was keen to summit Mt Kun and participate in the Khardung La ultra marathon. A few friends were keen on an expedition to Mt Kang Yatse and he, too, joined. The training began in December 2021. He looked up online training modules and read books such as Training for the Uphill Athlete (by Steve House, Scott Johnson and Kilian Jornet) and Training for the New Alpinism (by Steve House and Scott Johnson). 

“Running had become a habit. I would run alone or with a group from the Hyderabad Runners. My schedule includes strength training and stretching routines. For mountaineering, it is important to simulate the conditions in the mountains. I used to go on long walks — for six to seven hours — carrying backpacks weighing between eight and 15 kilograms. It may not sound like much but can leave you more tired than a full marathon. Running is about mileage, while mountaineering is about being able to stay in high altitude and cold weather conditions for a long time. Meditation and breathing exercises were also a part of the practice,” says Abhishek. 

Over the years, the change in lifestyle meant eating healthy, adhering to a circadian rhythm and saying no to late-night parties. “I was getting leaner and fitter. My very first 10K run gave me a lot of satisfaction and I wanted to do better.” His son, too, was motivated. “My son (Ayush, 13), joined me in summiting Mt Kang Yatse.” 

The expedition to Mt Kun began on August 2 and Abhishek summited on August 16, returning to Leh and again joining his friends for the Mt Kang Yatse expedition on August 21. “By this time, my body had become acclimated to high altitude and I was able to walk almost as swiftly as the sherpas,” he mentions. The summit concluded on August 27 and he returned to Leh on August 29, geared up for the ultra marathon on September 9. “We had to complete the ultra marathon within 14 hours; I finished at 11 hours, 33 minutes.” 

By completing the custom-designed Project 3K with the Ladakh ultra marathon, which is the world’s highest ultra marathon (5370 metres), Abhishek set the bar higher for himself and says, “I am determined not to slacken from here.”