Masood Khan completes an extraordinary 808km ultra-run, setting a new benchmark in endurance racing. Photo: EXPRESS
PESHAWAR:
Masood Khan, an 18-year-old endurance runner from Peshawar, has etched his name in the record books by completing an extraordinary 808-kilometre road race through the Himalayan and Karakoram mountain ranges, finishing in Skardu, Gilgit-Baltistan.
Masood began his record-breaking journey on the morning of May 15 from the Peshawar Sports Complex and crossed the finish line in a Skardu village on May 23 at around 6:40pm.
Speaking to The Express Tribune in an exclusive interview, Masood Khan said he deliberately chose a far more challenging route than the previous record holder. “The German runner had made his record on flat road, so I decided to do something different and challenging. I wanted to finish at the foot of the mighty Karakoram Range in Skardu. To reach there, you have to pass through the Himalayan and Karakoram mountains,” he explained.
“Originally I wanted to complete it in eight days but due to injuries I finished it in nine days instead,” he added.
The Pakistan Army fully sponsored and meticulously planned the entire expedition, providing exceptional logistical support throughout the run. Instead of solid food, Khan was given Ensure Milk, dry fruits, chocolates, and Red Bull during the day. He rested for only 15 minutes at a time, during which rooms were pre-arranged for full-body massages. A support team of six people followed him in several vehicles, while local administrations, including Deputy Commissioners and District Police Officers, warmly received him upon entering their jurisdictions, with police escorts provided in every district.
“For the nights, rooms had been arranged for me and my team, and I was given rice for supper,” he recalled, adding that specialists had been employed by the army to select the food for him.
The last three days proved especially grueling. After crossing the 500km mark, he developed painful knee injuries in both legs due to the continuously rising altitude. Despite the setbacks, he pushed through and completed the run as planned.
On average, the young athlete covered around 100 kilometres per day in the first five days. For preparation, he had undertaken two training runs, Peshawar to Nowshera in three-and-a-half hours and Peshawar to Swabi in seven-and-a-half hours.
Masood Khan’s passion for running began just two-and-a-half years ago while he was still in school. “There were school games, so I participated in a marathon for the first time and then decided to pursue my passion,” he said. Having lost his father at a young age, his maternal uncle supported the family.
Initially focused on conventional marathons, where he won several gold medals, Masood Khan later set his sights on extreme cross-country challenges in the Himalayan region. Looking ahead, he aims to double the distance in a future run to set an even more ambitious record.