Czech mountaineer and traveler Miroslava “Miri” Jirková took second place in the international women’s category at this year’s Everest Marathon, one of the most demanding high-altitude running races in the world. She completed the 42-kilometer course through Himalayan terrain from Everest Base Camp, via Dingboche to Namche Bazaar, in a time of 6:15:40.

In the women’s race, she finished just behind American Annie Hughes, who crossed the finish line in 5:41:27.

The Everest Marathon takes place annually in the region below Mount Everest and runs through the Khumbu Valley. The race starts at an altitude of 5,356 meters above sea level at Everest Base Camp and ends in the iconic village of Namche Bazaar at an altitude of 3,440 meters above sea level. The total elevation gain is 1,300 meters, and the total elevation loss is 2,890 meters. It is the highest-altitude marathon in the world and is renowned for its extreme conditions, thin air, and technically demanding course, which tests not only physical fitness but also the ability to adapt to high altitude. This year marked the 21st edition of the race.

“The Everest Marathon isn’t just a running race; for all participants, it’s also a battle against altitude and one’s own mind,” says Miri Jirková after the race, and she reflects further: “When I’m in Nepal, I spend most of my time with clients on treks and mountaineering expeditions. This was an opportunity to enjoy the mountains all to myself, to go at my own pace, to be answerable to no one. Just me and the Himalayas, the views, and my own breath. What I appreciate most about the whole event is the great atmosphere, which wasn’t marred by any rivalry; all the participants supported one another. Many new friendships were formed. It was the first running race of my life, and the only thing that drove me to do it was curiosity. And the relaxed mindset I cultivated turned out to be worth it—I finished in second place.”










Miroslava “Miri” Jirková and her partner Honza “Tráva” Trávníček



 
 
Video: Miroslava “Miri” Jirková crosses the finish line

About Miroslava Jirková:

Miroslava “Miri” Jirková is one of the leading Czech high-altitude climbers and a member of the 14 Summits Expedition. She is the only Czech woman who has been attempting ascents in the so-called “death zone” above 8,000 meters without the use of supplemental oxygen. In addition to mountaineering, she is one of the Czech pioneers of slacklining and highlining, and has long been involved in expeditions and travel in Nepal and the Himalayas. In 2015, during an expedition to Manaslu, she abandoned her own summit attempt to help rescue a French climber, for which she received an award for extraordinary bravery.