An ultramarathon (also called ultra distance) is any sporting event involving running longer than the traditional marathon length of 42.195 kilometres (26.2188 mi).
There are two types of ultramarathon events: those that cover a specified distance, and events that take place during specified time (with the winner covering the most distance in that time). The most common distances are 50 kilometres (31.069 mi), 100 kilometres (62.137 mi), 50 miles (80.467 km) and 100 miles (160.934 km), although many races have other distances. The 100 kilometers is an official IAAF world record event.[1]
Other distances/times include double marathons, 24-hour races, and multiday races of 1000 miles or even longer. The format of these events and the courses vary, ranging from single or multiple loops (some as short as a 400-meter track)[2], to point-to-point road or trail races, to cross-country rogaines. Many ultramarathons, especially trail challenges, have severe course obstacles, such as inclement weather, elevation change, or rugged terrain. Many of these races are run on dirt roads or mountain paths, though some are run on paved roads as well. Usually, there are aid stations every 5 to 15 km apart, where runners can replenish food and drink supplies or take a short break.
Timed events range from 6, 12, and 24 hours to 3 and 6 days and 10 days (known as multi-day events). Timed events are generally run on a track or a short road course, often one mile or less.
The International Association of Ultrarunners (IAU) organises the World Championships for various ultramarathon distances, including 50 km, 100 km, 24 hours and ultra trail running. These events are sanctioned by the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF), the world governing body of track and field. Many countries around the world have their own ultrarunning organizations, often the national athletics federation of that country, or are sanctioned by such national athletics organizations. World records for distances, times and ages are tracked by the IAU.
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Ultramarathons are run around the world and more than 70,000 people complete ultramarathons every year.
Several ultra distance events are held in Africa. South Africa hosts the world's oldest and largest ultramarathon, the 90 km Comrades Marathon. Approximately 12,000 runners complete Comrades each year, with over 24,500 in 2000. It also hosts the 56-kilometer Two Oceans Marathon in Cape Town in the southern autumn which attracts approximately 7000 runners. Marathon des Sables is a 6 day stage race which covers 250 km through the Sahara desert in Morocco. The Sahara Race in Egypt, part of the 4 Deserts series, is held annually with about 150 competitors from 30 countries competing. There is also an ultramarathon of 250 km across the Namib desert.
Ultrarunning has become popular in Asia recently, and countries such as Taiwan, Japan, and Korea have hosted IAU World Championships in the last few years. Korea's first ultramarathon was held in 2000. India's first ultra marathon [1] was held in 2007, in Bangalore. The Gobi March,[3] first held in 2003, in northwest China was China's first ultramarathon. Singapore has a double marathons night race called Sundown Marathon [2] since 2008 it has since increased the distance to 100km in 2011. Nepal hosts several ultramarathon races including the Annapurna 100, the Kanchenjunga Ultra Marathon Trail Running Race[4], first held in 2009 which starts from Phunlin Bazaar (near Taplejung) at the Nepal and Sikkim border, and the Everest Ultra. Mongolia hosts during June of each year the Mongolia Sunrise to Sunset marathon (www.ultramongolia.com/).
Australia and New Zealand are host to some 100 organized ultramarathons each year. Additionally a handful of runners have run the entire length of New Zealand, a distance of around 2200 km.[5]
In Australia the Westfield Ultra Marathon was an annual race between Sydney and Melbourne contested between 1983 and 1991. Greek runner Yiannis Kouros won the event five times during that period. Australia is also the home of one of the oldest six-day races in the world, the Cliff Young Australian 6-day race, held in Colac, Victoria. The race is held on a 400-meter circuit at the Memorial Square in the centre of Colac, and has seen many epic battles since its inception in 1984. The 20th Cliff Young Australian six-day race was held between 20 and 26 November 2005. During that event, Kouros beat his existing world record six-day track mark and set a new mark of 1036.851 km. The Coast to Kosciuszko inaugurated in 2004, is a 246-kilometre (153 mi) marathon from the coast to the top of Mount Kosciuszko, Australia's highest mountain.
New Zealand's first ultramarathon was held on a 100 km track. The Kepler Challenge, 60 km through Fiordland National Park, has been running since 1988 and is one of the country's most popular races.
Papua New Guinea has the Kokoda Challenge Race, an annual 96 km endurance race held in late August that runs the length of the historic Kokoda Track.[6]
Ultrarunning is popular in Europe, and the sport can trace its origins here with early documentation of ultrarunners came from Icelandic sagas. The history of ultrarunners and walkers in the UK from the Victorian Era has also been documented. The IAU hosts annual European Championships for the 50 km, 100 km and 24 hours. There are over 300 ultramarathons held in Europe each year. Some of the largest events include:
The European Ultramarathon Cup (ECU) is an annual series covering several of the biggest races in different European countries.
Due to logistics and environmental concerns there are only a handful of ultramarathons held in Antarctica, and travel costs can mean entrance fees as high as $14,000.[8] Ultramarathons in Antarctica include: The Last Desert, a multi-stage footrace, and the Antarctic Ice Marathon – a marathon and 100-kilometer race.
There are several hundred ultramarathons held annually in North America. One of the most popular is the Western States Endurance Run, the world's oldest 100-mile trail run. The race began unofficially in 1974, when local horseman Gordy Ainsleigh's horse for the 100-mile Tevis Cup horse race came up lame. He decided to travel the course on foot, finishing in 23 hours and 47 minutes.
One of the first documented ultramarathons in North America was held in 1926, as part of the Central American Games. Tomas Zafiro and Leoncio San Miguel, both Tarahumara Indians, ran 100 km from Pachuca to Mexico City in 9 hours and 37 minutes. At the time, the Mexican government petitioned to include a 100 km race in the 1928 Summer Olympics in Amsterdam; however, nothing came of these efforts.
In 1928, sports agent C. C. Pyle organized the first of two editions of the 3,455-mile-long Bunion Derby (the first went along U.S. Route 66 from Los Angeles to Chicago before heading toward New York; the 1929 Derby reversed the route). Neither the race nor the accompanying vaudeville show was a financial success.
Since 1997, runners have been competing in the Self-Transcendence 3100 Mile Race, which is billed as the longest official footrace in the world. They run 100 laps a day for up to 50 days around a single block in Queens, NY, for a total distance of 3,100 miles (5,000 km).[9]
In April 2006, the American Ultrarunning Hall of Fame was established by the American Ultrarunning Association (AUA). Candidates for the Hall of Fame are chosen from the 'modern era' of American ultras, beginning with the New York Road Runners Club 30 Mile race held in 1958. The Inaugural inductees were Ted Corbitt, a former US Olympian, winner of the aforementioned race in 3:04:13, and co-founder of the Road Runners Club of America, and Sandra Kiddy, who kicked off her ultra career at age 42 with a world record at 50 kilometers, 3:36:56, and who went on to set a string of US and world ultra records.
There are fewer ultra marathons in South America, The Jungle Ultra multi-day multi-stage race through the Amazon Rainforest in Peru. The race is 230km long with a 90km long stage after day 4. Competitors are self sufficient carrying all their own equipment and provisions such as water, food, hammocks and first aid kits. There is also the Atacama Crossing, part of the 4 Deserts Series, which is a desert race through the Atacama Desert, another multi-day stage race covering 250km in total.
This is only a partial list of events. For a full list, see Ultramarathon Running's Calendar and local countries' ultrarunning websites.
| Edition | Year | City | Country | Date | No. of Athletes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 24th | 2010 | Gibraltar | Gibraltar | 7 November | 180 [10] |
Prior IAU World Championships were held in the Netherlands, Taiwan, and Korea.
| Event | Record | Athlete | Nationality | Date | Meet | Place | Ref |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 100 km (road) | 6:13:33 | Takahiro Sunada | Japan | 21 June 1998 | Tokoro, Japan | [1] |
| Event | Record | Athlete | Nationality | Date | Meet | Place | Ref |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 100 km (road) | 6:33:11 | Tomoe Abe | Japan | 25 June 2000 | Yubetsu, Japan | [1] |
| Event | Record | Athlete | Nationality | Date | Meet | Place | Ref |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 50000 m (track) | 2:48:06 | Jeff Norman | United Kingdom | 7 June 1980 | Timperley, United Kingdom | [11] | |
| 50 km (road) | 2:43:38 | Thompson Magawana | South Africa | 12 April 1988 | Claremont, South Africa | [11] |
| Event | Record | Athlete | Nationality | Date | Meet | Place | Ref |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 50000 m (track) | 3:18:52 | Carol Hunter-Rowe | United Kingdom | 3 March 1996 | Barry, United Kingdom | [11] | |
| 50 km (road) | 3:08:39 | Frith Van Der Merwe | South Africa | 25 March 1989 | Claremont, South Africa | [11] |
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