From the well-known to the downright wacky, we’ve rounded up what we think are some of the best ultramarathons in the world.
Best European ultra marathons
Tor Des Géants
Tor des Geants, meaning Tour of Giants in the local dialect, is a 330km ultra marathon from Valle d'Aosta, Italy. This iconic ultra runs along spectacular paths below some of the highest 4,000m peaks in the Alps and through jaw-droppingly pristine natural parks.
Despite the length, the race is run in a single stage, allowing runners to make their own decisions over when to rest and for how long. There are multiple refreshment ‘stops’ on the route, which provide ample opportunity to refuel and rest, along with 7 ‘lifebases’ roughly every 50km that are even better equipped to cater to the runners needs.
If you’re looking for a truly unique experience that will push your body to the limits in an incredible location, this race might be the one for you! Be warned though, those that do it often return year after year!
Fun Facts
Where: Courmayeur, Valle d'Aosta, Italy
When: Mid-September
Distance: 330km (30km, 130km and 430km options available)
Website: https://www.torxtrail.com
Read more
What it’s really like to race Tor des Geants | Nicky Spinks completes Tor des Geants
Ultra tour Monte Rosa
A refreshing alternative to the hugely commercial UTMB, the 100-mile Ultra Tour Monte Rosa is something really unique. Founded by Lizzy Hawker, who won UTMB multiple times, this race offers an entirely different, truly authentic experience. Traversing on quiet but challenging trails, through wild alpine landscapes, with 4,000m high mountains wherever you look – this is a race not to miss!
Fast facts
Where: Grächen, Switzerland
When: Early September
Distance: 170km (23km, 63km, 106km races are also available, as well as the 170-km route as a 4-day stage race)
Website: https://www.ultratourmonterosa.com
Trans alpine run
Seven days to cover 268km… that sounds easy right? Well, don’t be fooled – this is not a race for the fainthearted. The Trans Alpine Run was founded in 2005 when 74 teams set off from Oberstdorf to run across the Alps. The event has grown in stature every year since, with 2023 set to be the first year that solo runners are allowed to take part.
The TAR now starts in Lech am Arlberg, Austria, and travels through Switzerland, finishing in Prad am Stilfserjoch, South Tyrol. You’ll traverse through magnificent alpine landscapes, undertake legendary mountain crossings and pass through quaint historic villages. With over 15,000m of climb across the 268km, the TAR packs a punch. It’s definitely one for the bucket list, offering the added bonus that you can do it as a team or alone.
Fast facts
Where: Lech am Arlberg, Austria to South Tyrol, Switzerland
When: Early September
Distance: 268km (shorter version available too)
Website: https://transalpine-run.com/
Ultra trail Mont Blanc
The Ultra Trail du Mont Blanc, also known as UTMB, is one of the most well-known and competitive trail ultramarathons in the world. Founded in 2003, the 100-mile race starts in Chamonix, France, and circumnavigates the Mont Blanc Massif, following the Tour du Mont Blanc trail.
Notoriously difficult to gain entry into, the UTMB is part of what’s now a weeklong series of races that attract over 10,000 runners from around the world. So, as long as you don’t mind the crowds, commercialisation and noise, this is one to put on the list… just be prepared to wait a while to get your first bib!
Fast facts
Where: Chamonix, France
When: Last weekend of August/ first weekend of September
Distance: 100-miles/160km (various other races available over the week)
Website: https://montblanc.utmb.world
Read more
Damian Hall’s UTMB Kit list and secrets to success | How INOV8 duo stormed the UTMB Top 5
Madeura island ultra trail
Looking for something a little different? How about running the length of an island hundreds of kms away from anywhere? That is what the Madeira Island Ultra Trail (MIUT) offers. First officially run as an event in 2008, its roots can be traced back to 2004 where members of Clube de Montanha do Funchal, annually attempted to cross the island in under 24 hours.
Runners start at the sea on one side of the island, covering 115km and climbing over 7,100m before reaching the finish line at the sea on the other side. The MIUT is known for awe-inspiring views, mountains that ‘kiss the sea’, challenging climbs and a few technical descents thrown in for good measure. The route winds through high mountains and sleepy historic villages – a real ‘all round’ experience that you won’t forget in a hurry!
Fast facts
Where: Madiera, Portugal
When: Late April
Distance: 115km (16km, 42km, 60km and 85km also available)
Website: https://www.miutmadeira.com/
Best us ultramarathons
Hardrock 100
Not afraid of getting high? Then this one’s for you. The HARDROCK 100 is a tough day (and a bit) out for most runners – covering 100miles on old miners’ trails and including over 33,000ft of ascent. The race is run at altitude, with the ‘lowest’ point, Ouray, at 7,680ft and the highest point, Handies Peak, at 14,048ft. It’s not uncommon for there to be snow and ice on route, nor is it uncommon for runners to fall foul of altitude sickness and have to withdraw.
This challenging race, which includes steep scree climbs and descents, river crossings and boulder fields, is dedicated to the memory of the miners who settled in the area and built the trails the majority of the race is run on. It boasts a finish to remember – with runners ‘finishing’ not by crossing a line, but by kissing ‘Hardrock’, a large block of stone mining debris with a ram’s head painted on the side.
Fast facts
Where: Silverton, Colorado, US
When: Mid-July
Distance: 100-miles/160km
Website: https://hardrock100.com
Barkey marathons
Perhaps the wackiest of them all - the Barkley Marathons (BM100). Infamously difficult to enter, even more so to finish, this is a race steeped in mystery and one which very few are lucky enough to run. The 100-mile course, which varies from year to year, consists of five 20+ mile loops across the rough, pathless terrain of Frozen Head National Park, Tennessee.
Race Director, Gary ‘Lazarus Lake’ Cantrell (commonly known as ‘Laz’), co-founded BM100 in the decade following a 1977 jail breakout. The escaped prisoner, James Earl Ray, who assassinated Martin Luther King, only managed to cover 12-miles of the rough terrain in his 55-hours on the run. Laz insisted he could cover at least 100 in the same time frame, and so the race was born.
As unorthodox as they come, the runners have no idea of the start time. They assemble to the start line an hour after Laz blows a conch, and set off once the cigarette he lights is reduced to embers. The course is unmarked and includes over 50,000ft of climb through dense woodland. The runners have to navigate, with no more than a map and compass, between ‘checkpoints’ where books are hidden. They need to decipher clues to locate the books, before tearing out a specific page to prove they were there. They are subjected to extreme temperatures and thick thorny, forest undergrowth. To add to the challenge, they wear old watches given to them by Laz, with the incorrect time set. They have only 60-hours to complete the 5 loops.
Fast facts
Where: Frozen Head State Park, Tennessee
When: March - April
Distance: 100+ miles
Read more
A-Z of Barkley Marathons | Nicky Spinks reflects on Barkley Marathons, the race no one finished
Western states endurance run 100
Arguably the most well-known and competitive 100-mile trail race in the US, the Western States Endurance Run is also the world’s oldest 100-miler. Initially founded as an endurance horse race, it opened to runners in 1974.
If you’re lucky enough to get a coveted entry place, you can look forward to running over the middle section of the historic Western States Trail, along remote trails once used by the gold and silver miners in the early 19th century. You’ll wind through the canyons of California gold country, wading through ice-cold rivers and over high passes. It’ll be tough, but a race you’ll never forget.
Fast facts
Where: Olympic Valley to Auburn, California
When: Last weekend of June
Distance: 100-miles
Website: https://www.wser.org
Read more
Western States Endurance Run Guide
Vermont 100
The only 100-mile race that allows both runners and horses, the Vermont 100 (VT100) gives a tip of the hat to days gone by. The days when, after endurance riders first attempted the 100-mile distance on horseback, some intrepid early ultrarunners braved the distance on foot with them.
For runners (or riders) taking on the VT100, you can expect a mix of terrain - 68 miles of rolling dirt roads, 30 miles of horse trails, and 2 miles of pavement. There are no major climbs, but boy are there plenty of little ones, with over 17,000ft of climb over the full course.
Inclusivity is important to Race Director Amy Rusecki and the race is the first trail race to formally recognize visually and mobility impaired runners in their own awards category: Athletes with Disabilities (AWD).
Fast facts
Where: Woodstock, Vermont, US
When: Mid-July
Distance: 100-miles/ 160km (100km option also available)
Website: https://vermont100.com
The spine race
Want to test both your endurance as an ultra runner and your ability to withstand the harshest weather a British winter can throw your way? Then the winter Spine Race is the one for you. 268-miles along the ‘spine’ of England, this non-stop single stage race follows the Pennine Trail from Edale, Derbyshire to Kirk Yetholm, in the Scottish Borders.
Fast facts
Where: Edale, Derbyshire to Kirk Yetholm, Scottish Borders
When: Mid-January
Distance: 268-miles
Website: https://www.thespinerace.com/race/montane-winter-spine/
Read more
Damian Hall wins 2023 Spine Race | Spine Race Kit List
Dragon's back race
One for the mountain runners, the Dragon’s back race is a legendary 6-day stage race running from north to south Wales. Runners set off from Conwy Castle and make their way to Cardiff Castle, covering 380km of rough, mountainous terrain including some of the most iconic peaks in Wales – Tryfan, the Glyders and Mount Snowdon, the highest point in Wales. The route is largely unmarked, with runners able to make route choices across some of the most rugged and pathless terrain in the UK, testing both their running strength and navigational prowess.
Completing this race, even toeing the start line and setting out, is a once in a lifetime adventure.
Fast facts
Where: Conwy to Cardiff, Wales
When: September
Distance: 380+ km
Website: https://www.dragonsbackrace.com
Lakeland trails ultra
New to ultrarunning and looking for a race that offers the perfect combination of beautiful trails, supportive event staff and a fun family atmosphere – the Lakeland Trails Ultra might be just the one.
Starting in Ambleside, at the heart of the English Lake District, the race takes you on quiet, scenic trails – climbing just under 3,800m over the 100km course, through beautiful valleys and picturesque villages.
Fast facts
Where: Ambleside, UK
When: July
Distance: 100K (55K also available)
Website: https://www.lakelandtrails.org/ultra
Endurance life coastal quarter
Another race for those just getting into ultrarunning, the Endurance Life Classic Quarter in Cornwall is one for the checklist!
The task is simple: run 44-miles of the mesmerizingly beautiful South West Coastal Path from the southernmost point of England (Lizard Point), to the western most tip (Lands End). On a clear day, you’ll be treated to the most incredible views – hopefully, enough of a distraction from the relentless rolling hills of the route.
Fast facts
Where: Cornwall, UK
When: Late May
Distance: 44 Miles
Website: https://www.endurancelife.com/classic-quarter
Rest of the world
MARATHON DES SABLES
Often hailed as the ‘toughest footrace on earth’, Marathon des Sables (MdS) French for Marathon of Sands, sees runners cross 250km of unforgiving desert terrain over 6 days.
The multi-stage race, which started in 1986 with only 23 runners, now boasts over 1,000 entrants per year. The race relies on runners being self-sufficient, but provides water rations and communal goats’ hair Berber tents each night (thankfully, already pitched for you upon finishing!)
If you think you’re tough enough to withstand 6 days of running in the desert, carrying everything you need to survive on your back whilst enduring temperatures in excess of 50°C – and crossing endless sand dunes, rocky jebels and white-hot salt pains – then MdS is worth checking out!
Fast facts
Where: Sahara Desert, Southern Morocco
When: Mid-April
Distance: 250+km (6 stages over 7 days)
Website: https://www.marathondessables.com/en
Grand raid de réunion
A true test of endurance and skill, the Grand Raid de la Réunion/ La diagonale des fous is a mountain ultramarathon race across Réunion island, a French territory in the Indian Ocean, between Madagascar and Mauritius.
The 162km route includes almost 10,000m of elevation and is widely regarded as one of the most challenging footraces in the world. Those up for the challenge will be rewarded with the most incredible island scenery, from lush rain forests to dramatic volcanic terrain.
Fast facts
Where: Reunion Island
When: October
Distance: 100 miles
Website: https://www.grandraid-reunion.com/english/
Comrades Marathon
The world's largest and oldest ultramarathon race, the Comrades Marathon in South Africa is a 55-mile road race between the cities of Durban and Pietermaritzburg. Founded to commemorate the South African soldiers killed in World War 1, the race was first run in May, 1921, and – with the exception of a break during World War 2 and the Covid-19 pandemic – it has been run every year since.
The run changes direction every year, with the ‘up’ run starting from Durban and the ‘down’ run starting from Pietermaritzburg. Don’t be fooled into thinking either direction is flat, as runners have to tackle "The Big Five" set of hills: Cowies Hill, Fields Hill, Botha's Hill, Inchanga, and Polly Shortts. You’ll also have to watch out for walking too, as a strict 12-hour cut off time is enforced.
Fast facts
Where: Durban, South Africa
When: May/June
Distance: 55-miles/90km
Website: https://www.comrades.com