There's no other race quite like it - 26 miles across the frozen surface of the oldest and deepest freshwater lake on earth. The annual Baikal Ice Marathon is one of the world's toughest endurance challenges, with participants from over 50 countries competing in freezing Siberian temperatures.
The event, now in its tenth year, forces runners to endure the biting northern winds and the harsh, plunging temperatures in remote Russia. The lake's surface is another danger. The course can be hard and uneven because of small hills of ice rubble - while geothermic springs and seismic activity beneath the ice may weaken it to form holes.
這絕對是世界上最「酷」又最艱難的馬拉松賽。第10屆貝加爾湖冰上馬拉松日前盛大舉行，今年的賽事吸引了超過50個國家的運動員前來參賽。他們都有著鋼鐵般堅定的心志，要在世界上最深的淡水湖－貝加爾湖，完全凍結的冰面上跑完42公里。貝加爾湖舉辦一年一度的冰上馬拉松，宣揚保護淨水的理念。
對於參賽者而言，冰寒刺骨的北風和零下的嚴寒低溫是最大的挑戰。氣候是問題，湖面則是另一大問題，碎冰形成的障礙物，導致表面崎嶇不平，有時冰面下方的溫泉和地震活動會使冰層變得薄弱，甚至裂開形成坑洞，選手要隨時注意腳下情況。
- Frozen (adj.) 冰凍的；結冰的
I am absolutely frozen.
我完全凍僵了。
- Baikal (n.) 貝加爾湖
- Tough (adj.) 棘手的，費勁的
That was tough work.
那是個棘手的工作。
- Endurance (n.) 持久；耐力
Running the marathon tests a person's endurance.
馬拉松賽跑考驗人的耐力。
- Siberian (adj.) 西伯利亞的
- Biting (adj.) 刺骨的
- Course (n.) 跑道
- Uneven (adj.) 不平坦的，崎嶇的
Her hair has been badly cut and the ends are uneven.
她的頭髮剪得太糟了，所有的鬢角都不齊。
- Rubble (n.) 碎石
- Geothermic (adj.) 地熱的
- Spring (n.) 泉
Hot spring 溫泉
- Seismic (adj.) 地震的
A safe course is plotted by a support team, who monitor the course closely, even studying it using satellite imagery to assess existing and potential cracks, while six food and drink stations are set up at regular intervals, along with service teams and hovercrafts.
在馬拉松賽進行的同時，還有許多重要任務，尤其是安全措施。大會的安全團隊嚴密監測每一個賽道，透過衛星圖分析冰面現況和潛在危險區域。全程以距離區分，共設6個補給站，供應選手食物和飲水，每個點也都配有人力和氣墊船。
- Plot (v.) 策劃
The rebels plotted against the government.
反叛者策劃推翻政府。
- Closely (adv.) 嚴密地，仔細地
The prisoners were closely guarded.
囚犯受到嚴密監視。
- Satellite (n.) 人造衛星
- At intervals 每隔...距離、時間
The trees were planted at 20 ft intervals.
這些樹是每隔20英尺栽種的。
- Hovercraft (n.) 氣墊船
On the day of the race, competitors assemble at the town of Listvyanka, taking part in the precautionary ritual of 'vodka sprinkling' - starting the race with a shot of vodka - in accordance with Russian tradition. This is believed to help pacify the spirits of the great lake.
根據俄羅斯的傳統，比賽當天，選手們會先在 Listvyanka 集合，參加「噴灑伏特加 (vodka sprinkling)」的儀式，每位選手都要喝上一口伏特加。當地人認為，這個儀式可以讓湖泊平靜下來，使比賽能夠更安全。
- Precautionary (adj.) 預先警戒的；小心的
- Ritual (n.) 儀式
- Vodka (n.) 伏特加酒
- Shot (n.) 一口，一小杯
- In accordance with 根據；與...一致
All things in the world develop in accordance with their own laws.
世界一切事物都按照它們自己的法則發展。
- Pacify (v.) 使平靜，撫慰
He tried to pacify the protesters with promises of reform.
他試圖以改革的承諾安撫抗議者。
Lake Baikal is a UNESCO protected site, estimated to have formed 20 to 25million years ago. It is extraordinarily deep at 1,700 metres, and makes up for 90 per cent of Russia's drinking water.
貝加爾湖是受聯合國教科文組織保護的地點，大約在2000到2500萬年前形成。湖深約1.7公里，俄羅斯全國90%的飲用水全靠它供應。
- UNESCO = United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization
聯合國教育科學暨文化組織
- Extraordinarily (adv.) 非常；異常地
She is an extraordinarily beautiful girl.
她是個美麗非凡的女孩。
- Make up for 彌補
Hard work can make up for a lack of intelligence.
勤能補拙。
感覺好有趣，一同來體驗冰上馬拉松吧！
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