Intro:

Local boy Upendra Sunwar took the honours at the Everest Trail Race through Nepal.

Brazil's Fernanda Maciel was fastest woman and also came second overall in the gruelling ultra-marathon through the Himalayas.

Script:

Let's face it, people will run up anything, as long as it's there.

Which explains why we find ourselves near the highest point on Earth.

As the third Everest Trail Race reaches its conclusion, with competitors taking on the sixth and, luckily for them, final stage.

Not setting off at a blistering pace, and who could blame them?

Against a stunning backdrop of the Himalayas, the elite ultra runners negotiating a course at altitudes all above 3000 metres from Tyangboche to Lukla.

The race describes itself, quite modestly really, as one the world's toughest high-altitude ultra-marathons, and it doesn't disappoint.

Hazards, apart from falling from a great height and altitude sickness, include negotiating the busy routes during rush-hour.

And it was Nepal's own Upendra Sunuwar who took the overall title, finishing the 160 kilometre route in an overall time of 20 hours, 29 minutes and 46 seconds.

Certainly glad to finish, but pretty relaxed for a man who's just won a tough high-altitude ultra-marathon.

Hardly even broken a sweat.

And a five-and-a-half hour wait until somebody else showed up.

That somebody was Brazil's Fernanda Maciel, the fastest woman, and second overall in fact, in a time of 26 hours and 29 seconds.