Ultra marathons are any running events that at the very minimum go further than the marathon distance of 42.2km. The problem is that there is no upper limit. As a result, there are now some insanely challenging events held across the globe. The distance isn’t the only problem either, as competitors are asked to wrestle with mountains, rain-forests, deserts, or extreme weather conditions.
Since they’re events that allow you to experience the world in a unique way, we’ve chosen the best ultra marathon from all 7 continents (yes, even Antarctica), and added a couple of runners up so you can explore your options.
1. Africa: Comrades Marathon
The route:
- Durban to Pietermaritzburg (or Pietermaritzburg to Durban, depending on the year)
- 87km/54 miles uphill or 90 km/56 miles downhill in a 12 hour time-limit
- Takes in ‘The Big Five’ hills with a highest elevation of 2,850ft/870m above sea level
Run it for:
This is the world’s oldest and largest ultramarathon. It was first run in 1921, and has been completed by over 300,000 runners. The current field allows for 27,500 participants. It is famous for its vibrant atmosphere and support, with school children and local folk bands cheering you along the way. The race is run in the spirit of ‘Ubuntu’, which can be translated as ‘humanity towards others’.
Runners up:
- Marathon des Sables, Morocco: 251km in the Sahara Desert
- Namib Race, Namibia: 250km in the Skeleton Coast National Park
2. Antarctica: The Last Desert
The route:
- A variety of locations on the Antarctic Peninsula, potentially including King George Island, Deception Island, and Paradise Bay
- 250km multi-stage event
- Each night sleeping on the expedition ship
Run it for:
This is the only multi-stage footrace in Antarctica. The main challenges in the polar desert are the conditions of extreme cold, high winds and sheer landscapes. Varying snow, ice and weather conditions cause the course to change each year, often at late notice. The chance to tread in the footsteps of ancient explorers and to see a variety of wildlife including whales, penguins, and seals in the untouched wilderness makes this event a rare and life-changing experience.
Runner up:
- The Arctic Ice Marathon and 100k
3. Asia: La Ultra - The High
The route:
- In the Great Himalayan range of India, starting from the Nubra Valley towards the Indus River, and finishing in the Morey Plains of the Changtang plateau
- 333km/207 miles in 72 hour time limit. Including three 17,500ft+ mountain passes.
Run it for:
Most of the run is done with 50% less oxygen than at sea level. Add in to that fluctuating temperatures from -12 to 40 degrees celsius, and you’ll get a good idea of what sort of brutality your body will be put through. The three climbs to Khardung La, the world’s highest motorable pass at 5,359m, will push your physical and mental endurance beyond almost any other sports race. Under 59% of competitiors complete the race; can you be one of them?
Runners up:
- The Grand Raid Reunion/Diagonale des Fous (translated as ‘Diagonal of Mad Men’): 100 miles at La Reunion Island, in the Indian Ocean, with 9,643m elevation
- Gobi March, 250km in the Gobi Desert of Mongolia
4. Australasia/Oceania: Ultra-Trail Australia (UTA)
The route:
- In the Blue Mountains National Park in New South Wales
- 100km/62.1 miles (there is a 50km option as well)
Run it for:
In a country that boasts some of the world’s most spectacular scenery and wildlife, the Blue Mountains National Park is the most beautiful region of the lot. The World Heritage Area makes for a stunning ultra marathon, steeped in aboriginal history. Not for the faint hearted, the course involves an elevation gain of 4,400m, but the sense of achievement upon completing this challenge is immense. It is a hugely popular ultra, with many participants signing up to do it again.
Runners up:
- Tarawera Ultra: 100 miles exploring the lakes, forests and waterfalls of New Zealand
- Kepler Challenge: 60km through Fiordland National Park, NZ.
5. Europe: Ultra-Trail du Mont-Blanc (UTMB)
The route:
- Following the route of the Tour du Mont Blanc in France, Italy, and Switzerland. Based in Chamonix, France.
- 171km/106 miles, single-stage race with a total elevation gain of 10,040m/32,940ft
Run it for:
This is one of the most challenging footraces in the world, especially in terms of elevation gained in such a short time, and is on many experienced ultra runners’ bucket lists. The winners of this race complete the course in around 20 hours, running through the night. Only about 60% of competitors complete the race in any given year, as the race includes mountainous climbs and demanding descents, but there are also stunning Alpine views throughout. Since it crosses between three countries, this could be one of the only ultras where you need your passport with you.
Runners up:
- Spartathlon, Greece: 153 miles/246km in under 36 hours from Athens to Sparta, in the footsteps of Pheidippides.
- Dragon’s Back Race, Wales: 315km in 6 days, with average daily climbing of 3,100m
6. North America: Western States Endurance Run
The route:
- Sierra Nevada Mountains, California. Starting in Squaw Valley and ending at Auburn’s Placer High School.
- 161km/100 miles single-stage event, with cumulative elevation gain of 18,090ft/5,500m
Run it for:
This is known as one of the world’s toughest single-stage endurance races, taking on the rugged ranges and canyons of California. The race is also famous for its mythology: it started in 1974, when a man’s horse went lame before a 24-hour race, so he ran it on foot instead (18 minutes inside the time limit!). Nowadays, runners compete for one of the legendary belt-buckles: bronze for finishing in under 30 hours, silver for finishing in under 24 hours.
Runners up:
- Badwater Ultra: 135 miles around Death Valley and the Inyo mountains, with temperatures up to 54 degrees celsius.
- Hardrock Endurance Run: 100 miles in 48 hours on Southern Colorado’s San Juan Range
7. South America: The Jungle Ultra
The route:
- In the Amazon Rainforest of Manu National Park, Peru from the Andes mountains to the Madre de Dios River
- 230kms in five stages with humidity above 77%
Run it for:
This is a chance to explore a relatively unspoilt area of the steaming jungle, taking in cloud forests, mountains, and valleys. There will be arduous undergrowth, deep mud and river crossings to navigate, heavy rain throughout the challenge, and you might even run under nightfall. This is a wild course, where you will have to be almost entirely self-sufficient, so it is a test of endurance in the most extreme conditions. Being surrounded by a variety of rare wildlife will make for an incredible experience though.
Runners up:
- Atacama Crossing, Chile: 250km in 7 days in the Atacama desert
- Half Marathon des Sables, Peru: 120km in 3 days through the Ica desert
Latest articles
5 Tips to Improve Your Sleep: Maximizing Recovery and Performance
We all know sleep is crucial for staying healthy, mentally sharp, and performing at your best. But getting the sleep you need can sometimes be tricky. By making a few small adjustments to your habits and understanding your sleep better, you can not only improve your sleep quality but also boost how you feel and perform during the day. Here are five simple, science-backed tips to help you sleep better and recover faster from our friend James Wilson aka the sleep geek.
We all know sleep is crucial for staying healthy, mentally sharp, and performing at your best. But getting the sleep you need can sometimes be tricky. By making a few small adjustments to your habits and understanding your sleep better, you can not only improve your sleep quality but also boost how you feel and perform during the day. Here are five simple, science-backed tips to help you sleep better and recover faster from our friend James Wilson aka the sleep geek.
1. Know Your Sleep Style
We all sleep differently, and knowing your sleep style is the first step toward better rest. Are you an early bird or more of a night owl? Do you sleep better when it's cool or warm? Understanding your sleep patterns and preferences—like whether you’re a light or deep sleeper—can help you fine-tune your sleep environment for better results.
Research on chronotypes (whether you're naturally an early riser or prefer late nights) shows that we’re wired differently when it comes to sleep and wake times. So, knowing whether you’re more productive in the mornings or evenings can help you plan your day around your natural energy levels. And if you share a bed, it’s important to balance both partners’ preferences—separate blankets or tweaking the room temp can make a world of difference!
2. What to Do When You Wake Up at Night
Waking up at night is totally normal—we all wake up several times but usually don’t remember it unless we’re awake for more than a few minutes. What’s important is how you handle those wake-ups. If you start worrying or thinking about your to-do list, it can be hard to get back to sleep.
Our hearing is our alarm system, if we can relax this we can relax the rest of our body. Try using calming sounds to help you relax. Soothing podcasts, meditation apps, or audiobooks of a story you have read before—something that gently distracts your mind so you can drift back to sleep without the stress.
3. Accept That Perfect Sleep Isn’t a Thing
Let’s be real—no one sleeps perfectly every night, and that’s okay! Sometimes, life gets in the way, whether it’s stress, anxiety, family or unexpected disturbances. The key is not to let a rough night of sleep become a source of stress itself.
Research shows that worrying about sleep can actually make it worse. Many experts focus on helping people stop stressing about the occasional sleepless night. If you get good sleep most of the time (about 5 out of 7 nights), you’ll still feel rested and recover well. Learning to let go of sleep perfection can help you stay calm and stay on track with your training goals.
4. To Nap or Not to Nap?
Napping can be a bit of a balancing act. A quick nap can boost your energy and focus, but sleep too long or too late in the day, and it might mess up your nighttime sleep.
One key to effectively napping is keeping naps short—about 20-30 minutes—and timing them before 2 p.m. This “power nap” gives you the refresh you need without interfering with your regular sleep schedule.
5. Sync Your Training with Your Sleep Patterns
Your training schedule and sleep type should work together. If you’re a night owl, forcing yourself to do early morning workouts might leave you feeling drained. On the flip side, if you’re a morning person, take advantage of that early energy burst.
Research shows that your performance in strength or endurance training can vary depending on when you train. Night owls tend to perform better later in the day, while early risers do best with morning sessions. Aligning your workouts with your natural energy levels will help you avoid burnout and get the most out of your training.
To conclude
Optimising your sleep isn’t just about getting more hours—it’s about quality and finding what works for you. By adjusting your habits and embracing your unique sleep style, you can make sleep your secret weapon for better recovery, sharper focus, and improved performance. Whether it’s syncing your training with your energy, accepting the occasional bad night, or using sound to help you drift off, these tips will help you sleep smarter and perform better.
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3 reasons you should prioritise sleep in your training
In today’s fast-paced world, sleep is often treated like a luxury, but for anyone serious about their fitness journey, it’s as essential as proper nutrition and training. However, we can’t afford to overlook the role of sleep, as it impacts performance, recovery, and emotional well-being. Here’s why sleep should be a non-negotiable part of your fitness routine from our friend James Wilson aka the Sleep Geek.
In today’s fast-paced world, sleep is often treated like a luxury, but for anyone serious about their fitness journey, it’s as essential as proper nutrition and training. However, we can’t afford to overlook the role of sleep, as it impacts performance, recovery, and emotional well-being. Here’s why sleep should be a non-negotiable part of your fitness routine from our friend James Wilson aka the Sleep Geek.
1. Sleep for Performance: The Hidden Key to Training Success
Sleep is more than just a way to feel rested—it directly influences your ability to train effectively. Research shows that inadequate sleep can reduce endurance, slow reaction times, and impair strength. If you’ve ever tried to push through a workout after a restless night, you’ve probably noticed the struggle. This is because, when sleep-deprived, your body’s ability to use glucose—the fuel that powers your workouts—is compromised. The result? You fatigue more quickly, your coordination suffers, and the risk of injury increases.
Sleep also plays a critical role in hormone regulation, which is key to recovery and muscle growth. A lack of sleep reduces the release of growth hormones, which are vital for repairing muscles and building strength. At the same time, cortisol levels—the body’s stress hormone—are elevated when sleep is inadequate, interfering with recovery and potentially leading to muscle breakdown. Simply put, without enough sleep, your body doesn’t have the resources it needs to perform at its best or recover properly.
2. Physical Recovery: Where the Magic Happens
While training breaks down muscle fibers, it’s sleep that repairs and rebuilds them. This process is most intense during deep sleep, also known as slow-wave sleep, when the body works to repair muscles, tissues, and even cellular damage. It’s also when growth hormones production peaks, promoting muscle growth and healing microtears that form during exercise. Without enough deep sleep, recovery is slower, and progress stalls.
Athletes who get adequate deep sleep see significantly faster muscle recovery, improved strength gains, and a lower risk of injury compared to those who are sleep-deprived. But the benefits of sleep go beyond muscle repair. Deep sleep also boosts the immune system, helping to fend off illness and keeping you healthy enough to stick to your training plan.
3. Emotional Recovery: Why Sleep Keeps You Mentally in the Game
The benefits of sleep extend beyond physical recovery—it’s also essential for emotional balance and mental well-being. During REM (rapid eye movement) sleep, your brain processes the emotional events of the day, helping you manage stress, balance your emotional reactions, and maintain motivation. In essence, sleep serves as an overnight counseling session, where your brain sorts through unresolved emotions and stressors, so you can wake up feeling clear-headed and ready for the day.
For athletes, emotional recovery is just as important as physical recovery. When you’re sleep-deprived, you’re not only physically tired but also emotionally drained, which can make staying motivated to train much harder. Over time, this emotional toll can lead to burnout, where training feels more like a chore than a joy. Without adequate sleep, your brain doesn’t have the mental energy to push through tough workouts or stay focused on long-term goals. The result is a cycle of diminished motivation and subpar performance.
Conclusion: Sleep as a Secret Weapon for Success
In a world that glorifies hustle and sacrifice, it’s easy to overlook rest as an essential part of success. But for athletes, sleep is the key to unlocking your full potential. Whether it’s preparing your body for peak performance, ensuring your muscles have time to recover, or giving your brain the chance to process emotions and recharge, sleep is the foundation that supports every aspect of your fitness journey.
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Fact or Fad? Sorting Sleep Truths from Myths
When it comes to sleep advice, there’s a lot of noise out there. You might have heard some wild claims about sleep routines, miracle products, or shocking consequences of not getting enough shut-eye. But how much of it is actually rooted in science? Let’s separate the sleep facts from the fads with Sleep expert James Wilson aka the Sleep Geek, so you can get better rest without falling for the hype.
When it comes to sleep advice, there’s a lot of noise out there. You might have heard some wild claims about sleep routines, miracle products, or shocking consequences of not getting enough shut-eye. But how much of it is actually rooted in science? Let’s separate the sleep facts from the fads with Sleep expert James Wilson aka the Sleep Geek, so you can get better rest without falling for the hype.
1. Mouth Taping: Fad
Have you heard of mouth taping? This trend claims that by taping your mouth shut while you sleep, you can improve your breathing and sleep quality. The reality? There’s very little credible evidence to support this. The few success stories you might hear are often anecdotal—and suspiciously often from people selling mouth tape. More alarmingly, mouth taping can mask symptoms of sleep apnea, a serious sleep disorder, while causing discomfort like mouth puffing and claustrophobia. Bottom line: there's no solid science here, and it could be unsafe. This one's pure snake oil.
2. Waking Up Early Makes You Successful: Fad
We’ve all heard the old adage, "The early bird catches the worm." But does waking up at the crack of dawn always lead to success? Not necessarily. Whether you thrive in the early morning depends on your body’s natural rhythms. If you’re a night owl, forcing yourself to wake up early can leave you sleep-deprived, increasing your risk of injury and making it harder to focus. It turns out this myth has been circulating since biblical times, but in reality, success isn’t about when you wake up—it’s about finding a routine that works for you.
3. Less Than 7 Hours of Sleep a Night Will Kill You: Fad
You’ve probably heard that getting less than 7 hours of sleep a night could lead to an early death. While sleep is essential, this extreme claim lacks solid proof. It gained popularity thanks to the book Why We Sleep, but the science behind it is shaky. Every person is different and everyones sleep needs are different. For some people 7 hours of sleep is enough and it is more important to focus on the quality of sleep than the quantity.
4. The Light From Your Phone Stops You From Sleeping: Fad
It’s a common belief that the blue light from your phone is a major culprit behind restless nights. While it’s true that blue light can mimic daylight, the amount your phone emits isn’t the main issue. The real problem? What you’re doing on your phone. Scrolling through stressful emails or social media drama right before bed keeps your brain too active for sleep. However, your phone can also be your ally, with tools like sleep playlists and meditation apps. So, no—your phone itself isn’t the villain, it’s how you’re using it.
5. Sleepy Girl Mocktail: Fact… But Also a Fad
The “Sleepy Girl Mocktail” trend, which has gone viral on TikTok, claims to help you drift off to sleep with a blend of relaxing ingredients. While the ingredients may indeed be sleep-friendly, this is more of a feel-good ritual than a miracle cure. If you have chronic insomnia, sipping on this mocktail isn’t likely to fix the problem. It’s safe to try, but don't expect it to live up to the TikTok hype. Think of it as a nice addition to your wind-down routine, but not a substitute for real solutions.
6. We Inherit Our Sleep Patterns: Fact
Ever notice that some people can sleep through anything, while others struggle? Turns out, genetics play a big role in sleep. If your friend can fall asleep anywhere, anytime, it’s likely thanks to their genes, not some magic trick. While you can work on improving your sleep hygiene, some aspects of sleep are simply inherited. It explains a lot, but that doesn’t make those effortlessly good sleepers any less annoying!
7. Falling Asleep Quickly Means You’re a Good Sleeper: Fad
Think falling asleep the second your head hits the pillow makes you a sleep pro? Actually, it’s more likely a sign of sleep deprivation. If you’re nodding off too quickly, it means your body is catching up on missed sleep. Ideally, it should take you between 5 and 30 minutes to drift off. So, if you’re regularly falling asleep in a flash, it’s worth considering whether you’re meeting your sleep needs.
8. We Wake Up Multiple Times a Night: Fact
Many people believe a “good night’s sleep” means sleeping straight through without waking up, but that’s not how our sleep cycle works. Humans naturally wake up 3 to 6 times per night—it’s a defense mechanism from our early ancestors. The trick is, when we’re well-rested, these wake-ups are so brief that we don’t even remember them. If you feel safe and secure, both physically and emotionally, you’re more likely to slip back into your sleep cycle quickly after waking.
There you have it—the facts and fads of sleep, untangled. While the world of sleep science can feel overwhelming, the best advice is to find what works for you and avoid falling for trends that promise miraculous results. Keep your focus on consistency, and your body will thank you!
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