Lizzy Hawker had to abandon her 'Sky Dance'. Photo: Richard Bull
A British ultra-runner has had to pull out of an ambitious 1,000-mile run across the Himalaya.
Lizzy Hawker’s ‘Sky Dance’ came to an end when she lost a pack containing her satellite phone, maps, compass and permits.
Ms Hawker aimed to run the 1,600km Great Himalayan Trail traversing Nepal from Kanchenjunga base camp in the east to Hilsa on the western border with Tibet.
The North Face athlete, who was fastest woman in this year’s Ultra-Trail du Mont Blanc, had travelled to Kathmandu and then was driven north, finally reaching Kanchenjunga base camp on foot on 13 October.
She said: “Things had started so well; I was making good progress and loving it.
“Then in a remote region between the Kanchenjunga and Makalu areas, I temporarily lost the path between two villages and got in a bit of a tangle in a big dark forest of Himalayan proportions.
“I needed to take my time to find the safe way down to the only bridge across the torrent below.
“Progressing through the jungle thicket is slow and painful work. But what mattered was losing my small sack with all the important things: satellite phone, permits for my entire journey, solar panel, camera, money, compass, and maps for that section.
“On a journey like this communication is vital and without my hard-won permits for the breadth of Nepal there was no option but to stop.
“The worst part was losing communication and knowing that I’d be causing so much concern and anguish at not being able to let people know that I was safe. That is my deep regret. I felt very strongly the love and support from my family, friends and so many who were following my journey.
“This gave me strength in ways that I have never ever needed to draw on before.”
The Switzerland-based ultra-runner has now taken up the invitation to run the Everest Sky Race, a 200km (124-mile) nine-day staged race from Dolakha to Ama Dablam base camp, and will also attempt a repeat of her 2007 feat running from Everest base camp to Kathmandu, for which she holds the record with fellow ultra-runners Stephen Pyke and Mark Hartell.
