Twenty-one people running a mountain marathon have died in northwestern China after hail, freezing rain and gale winds hit the high-altitude race, state media reported Sunday. After an all night rescue operation in freezing temperatures involving more than 700 personnel, rescuers were able to confirm that 151 people were safe out of a total of 172 participants. Twenty-one had died, according to the official Xinhua News Agency, which said the runners suffered from physical discomfort and the sudden drop in temperature.