Photo: H Dragon
This July, two of the world’s most extreme footraces are pushing runners to the edge of their abilities – and beyond.
After years of watching friends train for marathons, I can say with confidence that I could not run one. Just the thought of running 26 miles nonstop makes my knees ache. Even more than the physical fitness, I’m amazed by the mental toughness that marathoners have to conjure up to make it to the finish line.
This July, however, the US is hosting two of the world’s toughest ultramarathons, multi-day footraces that make the garden variety marathon look like a fun run. By pitting participants against extreme conditions and distances, these two races aim to answer one question: just how far can our feet take us?
Racing Through Hell: The Badwater Ultramarathon
At 135 miles (215 km) long, the Badwater Ultramarathon is about five times longer than a standard marathon. Add in the fact that it takes place in the middle of Death Valley in July, when temperatures can exceed 120 F (49 C), and its not hard to see why Badwater’s organizers refer to it as “the toughest footrace on Earth.”
Conditions at Badwater go beyond brutal: in addition to food and water, many runners bring extra pairs of shoes in increasingly larger sizes, so they can trade up as their feet swell. Competitors have 48 hours to finish; organizers expect the winner of this year’s race, which begins on July 13, to reach the finish line in 22-26 hours.
The crazy part is that for some people, once isn’t enough. In 1989, two competitors completed the first “Badwater Double” by running to the finish line and back. Their feat was followed by the first Badwater Triple in 1994 and the first Badwater Quad in 2001.
Running to Heaven: The Self-Transcendence 3100 Mile Race
There are no medals or trophies at the finish line of the Self-Transcendence 3100 Mile Race. Instead, runners come for a much more profound prize: to discover and rise above their own limits.
The Self-Transcendence race was founded in 1997 by Sri Chinmoy, a guru from Bangladesh who saw long-distance running as a path to spiritual evolution. To finish, runners have to complete 5,649 laps around the course, which covers a block in Queens. At 3,100 miles (4,989 km), it’s the longest footrace in the world, and can take 50 or more days to complete.
This year’s edition of the race began on June 14. As of Wednesday, 9 out of the 12 runners had reached the halfway point.
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What do you think – would you rather “run to heaven” or “race through hell”? Tell us your pick in the comments section!
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6 Comments... join the discussion!
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I’m all for fulfilling or exceeding the limits of humanity’s athletic potential, but some of these races seem on the verge of insanity to me; the human body wasn’t meant to run hundreds of miles at extreme temperatures for feats of glory. And this is coming from someone who’s finished a few marathons.
Then again, Christopher McDougall has never really had a problem with his feet… maybe there’s a genetic subset of runners in the human genome. Makes me think I should consider gene therapy…
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I do think the spiritual transcendence/long distance running connection is underrated. There are times, during long runs of 2 or 3 plus hours, when I feel utterly detached from everything. In fact, sometimes the whole day afterwards I feel this mind/body disconnect. (which can be remedied with pancakes and/or cold beers.)
I don’t think that the ultramarathon or even the marathon are about staying in shape or fitness or even extreme fitness as much as they are about the bizarre or noble desire to triumph over one’s own mind. Because really, there comes a certain point at which it’s all psychological. Running around the block 6,000 times??? WOW. I am the type of person who needs crowds of thousands cheering and some speakers blasting “I Will Survive” to really rock a marathon. I can’t even imagine what kind of state you’d have to be in to pull it off on one block, over and over…
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I’d rather walk.
Seriously, I recently saw a documentary called “The Spirit of the Marathon” and was amazed by the variety and intensity and commitment of marathoners. There’s no doubt it takes a special person for any marathon, but especially the kinds you mention here.↵ -
I agree with Julie: I love to walk, trek, or even climb. I hate running. I think I could reach a higher ‘transcendence’ walking around the block 6 thousand times. Or even walking the 135 miles of the Badwater. But running would be hell. Slow and steady for me!
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