We all know that keeping fit is good for your health and well being. Thousands of people train every year for city marathons, pushing their bodies further than they’ve been before. However, there are a few races that make the London marathon look like a Sunday morning stroll, and the people who take part in these ultra marathons push their minds and bodies to the extreme. From scorching desert to sub zero tundra, these tests of mental and physical endurance take years of preparation and training, testing the limits of what is humanly possible.
Taking place over 6 days, this 154 mile race winds through the scorching Sahara Desert, where temperatures regularly top 45°C and runners must traverse sand dunes, desert mountains and violent sandstorms. Carrying everything they need to survive on their backs, runners battle dehydration, exhaustion and sunstroke. In less than a week, they will complete over 5 marathons through one of the world’s most inhospitable and unforgiving terrains.
Testing your survival skills as well as your endurance, this 100 mile race takes place over 48 hours, requiring competitors to cross the San Juan mountain range and complete ascents and descents combining over 30,000ft. Running over rocky, uneven, mountainous terrain, runners must navigate scree slopes and freezing night time temperatures, all the while trying to avoid getting disoriented and lost along the way - the route requires the use of maps and compasses in order to stay on course.
This endurance trail in Italy covers 330km, with no stages and no strict time limits for race completion. However, the toughness of this marathon shouldn’t be underestimated. The route has an altitude range of 24,000ft, forcing competitors to battle with a cruel and harsh mountain climate. Because there are no set stage points or time limits, runners can become isolated and must deal with any problems they may encounter on their own. They must be completely self sufficient and able to cope with extreme weather, including gale force winds, electrical storms, hail and sleet.
Taking place in the wild Yukon Territory, this marathon is as much a mental test as it is a physical one - only 11 people have completed in 7 years. Competitors choose between either a 120 mile or a 350 mile route, taking them across some of the coldest, windiest and most remote landscapes on the planet. Passing through the Arctic Circle, this foot race requires you to carry everything you may need on a sled behind you, with 2 checkpoints that only provide shelter and hot water. Mental and physical isolation are the true challenges of this marathon.
This marathon is reserved for the most elite endurance athletes, crossing Death Valley, the hottest place on earth during July. The route covers non-stop 135 miles, beginning at the lowest point in North America and climbing 8500ft to Mt Whitney. Temperatures in July regularly reach 49°C, and runners aren’t expected to be self sufficient as in other races, with many taking crews and supplies to be able to withstand the conditions. The race was postponed for a year while the safety of it was investigated, with concerns over the time of year that it is held.
For more inspiration on how you can keep fit, why not check out our Fitness Equipment & Accessories selection or take a look at one of the articles below?
