The highest elevation runners run is in China with a total elevation gain of 14,635 feet of elevation gain and total elevation loss of 13,293 feet. Only a tent and water are provided for 4 Deserts. Runners must traverse the “driest, hottest, coldest and windiest places on earth, testing their limits both physically and mentally.”Īnd they do this self-supported.
#THE MOST EXTREME RACE ON EARTH SERIES#
The 4 Deserts is an ultramarathon series of four 6-stage 250k (155 mile) multiday races taking place in four deserts around the world. Related: Who is Lazarus Lake? The Man Behind the Barkley Marathons #6: The 4 Deserts Ultramarathon Series Since 1986, there have only been 15 Barkley finishers. The total elevation gain and loss combined is close to 120,000 feet (so climbing and descending Mount Everest twice…from sea level). The total elevation gain of 60,000 feet (if you complete all five loops) is the equivalent of climbing Mount Everest two times from sea level.
The ultramarathon, which takes place in rural East Tennessee, involves running 5 loops of anywhere between 20 or 26 miles of uncleared trials that cut through briar patches leaving runners battered and cut up.
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Even figuring out how to apply is difficult. For example, no one knows the exact distance or even the start time. The Barkleys Marathons is arguably one of the hardest ultramarathons in existence in large part because of its disorganization by design. You must run a qualifier from its qualifying list during the qualifying period for the year you wish to run. The odds of getting accepted are less than 5 percent.Ĭheck out our other ultramarathon race profiles. They have just 30 hours to conquer the 100.2 mile beast. Western States runners also experience crossing through frigid water, and temperature swings from the blistering cold with snow and ice to triple-digit heat. The Western States 100 is the oldest 100-mile ultra-trail race in the world.īeginning in 1974, the ultramarathon is well-known for its history and challenging conditions including 18,000 feet of climbing and 23,000 of descending of many trails only accessible by helicopter. Runners have just 48 hours to complete the race. The race finishes, with a jaw-dropping ascent of 13,000 feet, to highest point in the US, the Whitney Portal at 8,300 feet. The start line is at Badwater Basin, Death Valley, which marks the lowest elevation in North America at 280 feet below sea level. The desert’s record high, set in 1913, is 134.1 degrees F.īadwater covers 135 miles, has a combined 14,600 feet of gain with a total elevation loss and gain of 20,700. In 2018, the temperature at the evening start was 118 degrees F. Related: Who is Dean Karnazes? An In-depth Bio on the Ultramarathon Man Oh, and there is a good chance you’ll encounter a rattlesnake or scorpion. It is hot enough to make your shoes melt, notes ultramarathon legend Dean Karnazes, who has raced it 11 times. The Badwater 135 is known as one of the toughest ultras because it runs through sizzling Death Valley. The UTMB has allured most ultra-running legends and has a strict entry policy using a point system from qualifying races around the world over a two-year period and a lottery. It takes most hikers 9 days to complete the trail.
Some of the best runners manage to finish in just over 20 hours. Some of the climbs are 3,000 high.Īnd the weather is extreme-often going from freezing at night to blistering hot during the middle of the day. The elevation of 32,900 feet in the Alps makes it one of the steepest race courses in the world. The 106 miles (171 km) race begins in Chamonix, France and follows the Tour du Mont Blanc hiking path, climbing through France to Italy to Switzerland, and back to France.
The Ultra-Trail du Mont-Blanc or UTMB is a must for most serious trail runners. Credit / license: “ IMGP0217” by “ mako10” is licensed under CC BY 2.0
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