Ultra marathon

The South African ultra runners Ludwick Mamabolo the Comrades Marathon 2013

An ultramarathon is a running event over a distance that is longer than the marathon distance of 42.195 km.

The most popular of these distances is the 100 km road run , for which World Athletics keeps record lists. The current athletics world records are held by Nao Kazami ( Japan ) with 6:09:14 hours and by Tomoe Abe (Japan) with 6:33:11 hours for women . Many of these runs take place on officially measured 5 km or 10 km laps, but there are also 100 km runs that are held on a single large lap, such as the 100 km of Biel . Most ultramarathons are landscape runs (see trail run ), the lengths of which are not standardized and are based on the topographical conditions. Ultramarathons with an altitude difference of more than 2000 meters are known as ultra-downhill runs .

In addition to the ultramarathon events listed below over certain distances, there are also runs that are held over a certain time. The shortest of these disciplines, which is considered an ultramarathon, is the 6-hour run ; longer multi-hour runs are held over 12, 24 , 48, 72 etc. hours.

In Germany there have been German championships of the German Athletics Association (DLV) over 100 km since 1987 . Since 2019 there is also the km- 50 and 24-hour run official German championships ago by the German Ultramarathon Foundation (DUV) organized were and continue to be directed by her. The 6-hour run was also included in the DLV's competition program.

Internationally, the International Association of Ultrarunners (IAU) organizes four international highlights of the year under the auspices of World Athletics: a World Cup over 100 kilometers, a 24-hour run , an all-terrain ultra run and a 50-kilometer run ( 50 km Trophy ). However, these are not official World Athletics Championships. The European Ultramarathons Cup is a cup competition that includes some of the largest ultramarathons in Europe. Furthermore, the Sri Chinmoy Marathon Team (SCMT) has been organizing UM races worldwide since 1977.

The training for an ultramarathon is similar to that for a marathon run, but the “long slow runs” are extended to over three hours. The health risks are the same as those of running a marathon.

Most famous ultra runs

Germany

Art	Distance / time	description
Distance runs	<52 km	50 km: Taubertal 100 50 km route from Rothenburg to Bad Mergentheim 50 km: Eschollbrücker Ultra-Marathon in Pfungstadt 50 km: 50 km ultramarathon in Rodgau 50 km: Marburger Lahntallauf (until 2009: around the stone mill) in Marburg 50 km: Arnsberg ultramarathon 50 km: Swabian Alb Marathon near Schwäbisch Gmünd 50 km: Hitdorf in Leverkusen 50 km: Bottrop ultramarathon 51 km Harz crossing between Wernigerode and Nordhausen
	52-75 km	63 km (3 laps each ± ​​500 HM): Bärenfels-Ultra-Trail near Nohfelden 63.3 km (± 1,100 m altitude): X-ray run around Remscheid ( Bergisches Land ) 74 km (± 2,000 altitude difference): P-way marathon in the Sauerland over forest paths around Plettenberg 69 km borderland ultra run in Heldburger Land (longer distance also over 111 km) 70 km Allgäu Panorama Ultra-Marathon near Sonthofen . 71 km: Taubertal 100 71 km route from Rothenburg to Tauberbischofsheim 72 km: Ems-Jade-Lauf from Emden to Wilhelmshaven . 73.9 km: GutsMuths Rennsteig run from Eisenach to Schmiedefeld
	75-100 km	75 km Hollenlauf near Bödefeld 75 km: Müritz run around Germany's largest inland lake - the Müritz 80 km: Fidelitas night run around Karlsruhe 80.49 km (50 miles) KiLL50 Not an idyllic landscape run 50 miles in Hildesheim 84.4 km (8,848 altitude difference / 39,700 steps) Saxon Mt. Everest stair marathon in Radebeul 100 km (± 4500 HM): Chiemgauer 100 near Ruhpolding 100 km: Taubertal 100 100 km route from Rothenburg to Wertheim 100 km: Leipzig 100 km run 100 km: 100 km run from Grünheide to Grünheide 100 km: Arnsberg ultramarathon 100 km (± 2.150 m altitude): Thuringia ultra near Fröttstädt 100 km Ulm CEP - running night 100 km WUB ultra run on Wappenweg Bielefeld 100 km: WHEW100 - 100 km ultra marathon over old railway lines from Wuppertal via Wülfrath, Velbert, Heiligenhaus, Essen, Hattingen and Sprockhövel back to Wuppertal
	100-200 km	111 km Hollenlauf near Bödefeld 111 km Borderland ultra run in Heldburger Land (shorter distance also over 69 km) 115 km Zugspitz summit storm from Munich to the 2,962 m high Zugspitze (also possible from Ohlstadt with 45 km) 161 km (equivalent to 100 miles) 100 miles Berlin on the Berlin Wall Trail 161 km (equivalent to 100 miles) Hanse 100 from Hamburg to Bremen 161 km (equivalent to 100 miles) Taubertal 100 100-mile route from Rothenburg to Gemünden 161 km (equivalent to 100 miles) stunt 100, Sibbesser day and night trail 161 km (± 7500 m altitude): Chiemgauer 100 near Ruhpolding
	> 200 km	230 km: Tortour de Ruhr from Winterberg to the Rhine Orange 239 km: Junut, Jurasteig Nonstop Ultratrail, round trip in the Neumarkt district idOPf. 245 km: Bergischer Ultra, non-stop run on the Bergischer Panoramasteig circular trail . 320 km: WiBoLT, run from Wiesbaden to Bonn over the Rheinsteig , second longest non-stop run in Germany 661 km: Goldsteig Ultrarace , Germany's longest non-stop run
Hourly runs	6 hours	Self-Transcendence 6-hour run Nuremberg , Nuremberg Self-Transcendence 6-Hour Run, Munich 6h-Lauf-Münster, Münster
	12 hours	international 12-hour race, Brühl Self-Transcendence 12-hour run, Berlin
	24 hours	24-hour run in Rodgau, fundraising run in Rodgau since 1972 24 hours of Stadtoldendorf 2009 with the 21st German championships in the 24-hour race of the DUV in Stadtoldendorf Self-transcendence 24-hour run, Berlin 24 hours Burginsellauf in Delmenhorst , since 2003 24 hours from Bernau , also 6 hours, since 2004 24 hours from Reichenbach in Vogtland , since 1987 Saxon Mt. Everest stair marathon in Radebeul (record: 144 laps; distance over 120 kilometers, over 12,700 vertical meters [57,168 steps])
	48 hours
	72+ hours	72 hours from Wanne-Eickel
Stage runs	<10 stages	180 km in 5 daily stages: GR 20 Trans-Corsica with over 12,000 altitude meters 280 km in 6 daily stages: Trans Atlas Marathon with 12,000 HM or 120 km with 6,000 HM by Mohamad Ahansal 324 km in 5 daily stages: Baltic Run from Berlin to Karlshagen (Usedom Island), from 2008 to 2012 330 km in 5 daily stages: Isarrun (initially organized as an Isar run ) along the Isar 410 km 6 day stages: spreelauf along the Spree
	10–15 stages
	> 15 stages	1,200 km in 17 daily stages: Germany run from Cape Arkona to Lörrach

Europe

Art	Distance / time	description
Distance runs	<50 km	45.595 km (1,973 altitude difference): Zermatt marathon near St. Niklaus and Zermatt in the Swiss canton of Valais
	50-75 km	50 km: Austria, Stadtgut Steyr Ultralauf Event, 50 km: Switzerland, Lake Biel ultramarathon 50 km: France, Paris Self-Transcendence 50 km run 50 km: Netherlands, Amsterdam Self-Transcendence 50 km run 70 km (± 4,300 altitude difference): Austria, mountain marathon " Around the Traunsee " 52 km (± 2,000 altitude difference): Austria, the Linz mountain marathon 50/70 km (3,000 altitude difference): Austria, the Ötscher ultramarathon in Lackenhof (Lower Austria) in two days 56 km (2,200 altitude difference): Austria, the Veitscher Ultra-Alpin-Marathon near Veitsch (Styria)
	75-100 km	100 km: Austria, Stadtgut Steyr ultra running event 100 km: Switzerland: The Biel Running Days 100 km: Belgium: The night of Flanders 100 km: Italy: 100 km del Passatore 100 km: France, Paris Self-Transcendence 100 km run 100 km: Netherlands, Amsterdam Self-Transcendence 100 km run 100 km: Czech Republic, Prague Self-Transcendence 100 km run 100 km: Slovakia, Nitra Self-Transcendence 100 km run 77 km (± 2,000 m altitude): Switzerland, Défi Val-de-Travers near Couvet 78.5 km (± 2,320 altitude difference): Switzerland, Swiss Alpine Marathon near Davos 80.2 km (± 5,000 elevation gain): Switzerland, Mountainman near Lucerne
	100-200 km	152 km: The West Highland Way Race of the Scottish Lowlands nonstop in the Highlands at Loch Lomond past 166 km (± 9,500 m altitude ): The Ultra-Trail du Mont-Blanc around the Mont Blanc massif in 46 hours 110 km (± 1,800 HM): The Ultra-Trail Morocco Eco Sahara from Mohamad Ahansal through the Sahara in southern Morocco 110 km (± 6,500 altitude difference): Grossglockner Ultra-Trail counterclockwise around the Glockner group with start and finish in Kaprun . 103 km (± 3,000 m altitude): Mozart 100 with start and finish in Salzburg . 168 km (± 11,000 HM): The Ehunmilak Ultra-Trail around the Goierri region in the Basque Country in 48 hours
	> 200 km	898 km (+ 52,900 / -52,900 HM): The Transpyrenea on the GR10 through the French. Pyrenees from the Mediterranean to the Atlantic (time limit: 400 hours) 330 km (+ 24,000 / -24,000 altitude difference): The Tor des Géants , which runs over Alta Via 1 & 2 from the Aosta Valley in Italy (time limit: 150 hours) 246 km (+ 3,000 / -2,500 altitude difference): The Spartathlon from Athens to Sparta (time limit: 36 hours) 201.8 km (+ 11,480 / -11,480 altitude difference): Switzerland, Swiss Irontrail near Davos / Canton of Graubünden (time limit: 66 hours)
Hourly runs	6 hours	Six-hour summer night run Lang-Lebring Austria, Graz Self-Transcendence 6-hour race Italy, Milan Self-Transcendence 6-hour race Slovakia, Nitra Self-Transcendence 6-Hour Race Holland, Amsterdam Self-Transcendence 6-Hour Race Austria, Vienna Self-Transcendence 6-Hour Race Czech Republic, Prague Golser Ultra Running Days, Austria, Gols
	12 hours	Int. Self-Transcendence 12-hour run Switzerland, Basel Self-Transcendence 12-hour race Czech Republic, Prague Self-Transcendence 12-hour race Slovakia, Nitra Prambachkirchen 12-hour charity run Austria, Prambachkirchen
	24 hours	Int. Self-transcendence 24-hour race Switzerland, Basel 24h run in Irdning Self-Transcendence 24 Hour Race Great Britain, London Self-Transcendence 24-hour race Czech Republic, Kladno The Hiru Haundiak around in the Basque Country (100 km; ± 5,000 HM)
	48 hours	Self-Transcendence 48-hour race Czech Republic, Kladno Golser Ultra Running Days, Austria, Gols
	72+ hours	8 days no finish line, Monaco
Stage runs	<10 stages	321 km in 5 daily stages: Super marathon Vienna-Bratislava-Budapest for individual runners and teams 350 km in 7 daily stages: Swiss Jura Marathon from Geneva to Basel 260–310 km (depending on the route) in 8 daily stages: Transalpine Run from Germany to Italy , 15,000–18,000 vertical meters in the ascent 195.4 km in 4 daily stages: Lake Balaton Super Marathon (Hungary) for individual runners and teams.

Worldwide

Art	Distance / time	description
Distance runs	<50 km
	50-75 km	50 km: Ultra Trio 50 km Race New Zealand, Christchurch 56 km: Two Oceans Marathon ( South Africa ) near Cape Town 60 km: Te Houtaewa Challenge ( New Zealand ) at Ninety Mile Beach 60 km: Kepler Challenge ( New Zealand ) near Te Anau in the Fiordland National Park
	75-100 km	80 km: Ultra Trio 50 Mile Race New Zealand, Christchurch 83 km: Transvulcania on the Canary Island of La Palma (+ 4415 / -4410 meters in altitude) 85–90 km: Comrades Marathon ( South Africa ) from Durban to Pietermaritzburg in even years, in odd years the other way round; the oldest ultramarathon (since 1921 ), time limit 12 hours
	100-200 km	100 km: Ultra Trio 100 km Race New Zealand, Christchurch 148 km: Sinister 7 148 km from 2004 161 km cross-country run (5600 vertical meters, Crowsnest Pass Canada ) 150 km: Boa Vista Ultramarathon ( Cape Verde ) in 3 days 162 km (± 9.643 m altitude): Grand Raid de La Réunion ( Indian Ocean ) in 63 hours 160 km (+5500 / -7000 HM): Western States Endurance Run ( California ) in 24/30 hours 160 km (± 10,000 elevation gain): Hardrock Hundred Mile Endurance Run ( Colorado ) in 48 hours 160 km (± 8,000 HM): Wasatch Front 100 Mile Endurance Run ( Utah ) in 36 hours 160 km (± 16,500 HM): Barkley Marathons ( Tennessee ) in 60 hours
	> 200 km	217 km (+ 4,000 / -1,400 HM): Badwater Ultramarathon ( California , USA ) from Death Valley to Mount Whitney in 60 hours 875 km (544 miles): Westfield Sydney to Melbourne Ultramarathon
	4989 km	Self-Transcendence 3100 Mile Race in New York , Queens
Hourly runs	6 hours	Sri Chinmoy Self Transcendence Ultra Classic 6 Hour Race in Canada, Ottawa Self-Transcendence 6-Hour Race in Canada, Kingston Sri Chinmoy 6 Hour Track Race in New Zealand, Auckland
	12 hours	Sri Chinmoy Self Transcendence Ultra Classic 12 Hour Race in Canada, Ottawa Sri Chinmoy 12 Hour Track Race in New Zealand, Auckland
	24 hours	Sri Chinmoy Self Transcendence Ultra Classic 6 Hour Race in Canada, Ottawa Sri Chinmoy 24 Hour Track Race in New Zealand, Auckland
	48 hours
	72+ hours	160.93 / 482.80 / 692.02 km (100/300/430 miles) in 3/8/13 day stages, Yukon Arctic Ultra in Canada, Yukon
	6 days	Self-Transcendence Six Day Race, USA Flushing
	10 days	Self-Transcendence Ten Day Race , USA Flushing
Stage runs	<10 stages	193 km in 6 daily stages: TransRockies Run in Colorado , USA
	10–50 stages	1,150 km in 18 daily stages: Transe Gaule from Roscoff to Gruissan-Plagel 160.93 / 482.80 / 692.02 km (100/300/430 miles) in 3/8/13 day stages: The Yukon Arctic Ultra in Canada, on the route of the Yukon Quest .
	> 50 stages	4,000–5,100 km in 64 daily stages: The Trans-European Run : 5,036 km in 2003 from Lisbon to Moscow , 4,487 km in 2009 from Bari to the Nordkapp , 4,176 km in 2012 from Skagen to Gibraltar .
extreme conditions	Desert runs / jungle run / mountain run	217.26 km (135 miles): The Badwater Ultramarathon is one of the toughest ultramarathons in the world. The route leads from Badwater in Death Valley to Mount Whitney in California . 240 km in 7 daily stages: Marathon des Sables goes across the Sahara desert of Morocco 250 km in 7 daily stages: Kalahari Augrabies Extreme Marathon in the Kalahari desert of South Africa 250/500 km in 8 daily stages: Ultra Montpellier (France) Valencia (Spain) Four desert race (4 times 6 daily stages of 250 km) 250 km in 6 daily stages: Gobi March through the Gobi desert in China , 1st desert of the four-desert run 250 km in 6 daily stages: Sahara Race through the Sahara desert of Egypt , 2nd desert of the four-desert run 250 km in 6 daily stages: Atacama Crossing through the Atacama Desert of Chile , 3rd desert of the four-desert run 250 km in 6 daily stages: The Last Desert through the Antarctic , 4th desert of the four-desert run, participation only if at least two runs in the desert series have been successfully completed, 15 finishes in 2007 Jungle crossing 220 km in 6 daily stages: Cambodia Ultra Trail through the jungle in Cambodia Himalaya crossing 1500 km in 25 daily stages: Great Himalaya Trail in Nepal

Non-competitive runs

• The Brocken Challenge : 84.5 km from Göttingen on the Brocken . 2.192 m uphill
• The ceiling-Tönnes marathon near Euskirchen with 43.5 km and 870 meters of altitude (54.7 km and 1100 meters of altitude in the XL variant)
• The Westerwaldlauf : 50 km around Rengsdorf
• The Georgsmarienhütter Null, 50 km (is no longer held)
• The adventure run : 170 km in four daily stages from Tannheim (Tyrol) to Pertisau am Achensee
• The Amberg Ultra Run (AULA) : Group run in six stages over 63 km
• The Klingenpfadlauf: 75 km around Solingen
• The Hildesheimer LandschaftsLauf 50 kilometers circular route of the Hildesheim mountain ranges
• The Sibesser day and night trail over 100 miles
• The Velpker Samtgemeindelauf: group run over 47 km
• Donation marathons "5 in 5 days" in Rheine - Emsdetten - Warendorf - Münster - Oelde
• 24 hours Burgenland Extreme Tour : 120 km in winter around Lake Neusiedl (Austria / Hungary)

See also: List of marathons

National records and world championship records of ultramarathon runners

• Tomoe Abe , female 100 km world record holder (6:33:11 h, June 25, 2000 in Kitami )
• Gordy Ansleigh , Western States Endurance Run pioneer, inventor of the trail ultramarathon
• Suprabha Beckjord and Wolfgang Schwerk record holders in the 3100 mile race
• Edit Berces , world record holder for the 24-hour treadmill race; holds several Hungarian records
• Cornelia Bullig , German record holder in the six-day run
• Ted Corbitt , father of the American ultra run ; 1952 US Olympic Team member; former American world record holder in various distances
• Bruce Fordyce , nine-time winner of the Comrades Marathon ; African 100 km record holder (6:25:07 h)
• Wally Hayward , multiple winner of the Comrades Marathon, London to Brighton, many other ultramarathons
• Bernd Heinrich , US 100-mile track record holder (12:27:01 h)
• Scott Jurek , seven-fold win and current placeholder of the Western States Endurance Run ; two-time Badwater Ultramarathon winner ; Hardrock Hundred Mile Endurance Run winner ; three-time winner of the Spartathlon 152-mile race from Athens to Sparta, Greece
• Uladsimir Kotau , former winner of the Comrades Marathon
• Yiannis Kouros , multi-day racing legend, holds several world records from 24-hour to 1000-mile races
• Frith van der Merwe , set the course record of the Comrades Marathon for both directions
• Stu Mittleman , US record holder of the six-day race (578 miles)
• Arthur FH Newton , five-time winner of the Comrades Marathon
• Jesper Olsen , ran around the world in 22 months (2004/05); won the Australian Six Day Race (2004).
• Nao Kazami, male 100 km world record holder (6:09:14 h, June 24, 2018 in Kitami )
• Ann Trason , 13-time Western States Endurance Run winner and female course record holder ; holds several world records, including 100 miles (1:47:41 h 1991), 50 miles (5:40:18 h, 1991) and 12 hours (147.6 km, 1991); American 100 km record holder (7:00:48 h)
• Kristina Paltén , crossed Iran in 58 days and was the world record holder in the 48-hour run on the treadmill in 2017.
• Richard Whitehead , holds several world records for bilateral amputees from the half marathon to the Comrades marathon
• Cliff Young and Bryan Smith , former winners of the Westfield Sydney to Melbourne Ultra Run

German ultramarathon runners

• Nele Alder-Baerens (* 1978)
• Astrid Benöhr (* 1957)
• Cornelia Bullig (* 1959)
• André Collet (* 1971)
• Fabio Crescentini
• Christian Grundner (* 1968)
• Sebastian Haag (1978-2014)
• Moritz auf der Heide (* 1987)
• Marcel Heinig (* 1981)
• Achim Heukemes (* 1951)
• Antje Krause (* 1972)
• Jens Lukas
• Florian Neuschwander (* 1981)
• Horst Preisler (* 1935)
• Florian Reus (* 1984)
• Axel Rittershaus
• Stefan Schlett (* 1962)
• Paul Schmidt (* 1985)
• Ingo Schulze (* 1948)
• Peter Seifert (1983-2019)
• Michael Sommer (* 1964)
• Melanie Strass
• Pamela Veith
• Constanze Wagner (* 1963)
• Eva-Maria Westphal (1918–1996)
• Jürgen Wieser (* 1969)
• Robert Wimmer (* 1965)
• Adolf Weidmann (1901–1997)
• Julia Derbfuß
• Adrian Zahoran

Individual evidence

1. ↑ DLV Association Council resolves regulatory changes and appoints federal committees , on: Leichtathletik.de, from February 21, 2018, accessed February 21, 2018
2. ↑ Presentation of the ultramarathon on iaaf.org (copy on Archive.org) ( Memento from July 1, 2012 in the Internet Archive ), accessed April 27, 2012
3. ↑ Arnd Krüger : Many roads lead to Olympia. The changes in the training systems for middle and long distance runners (1850-1997) , in: N. Gissel (Hrsg.): Sportliche Leistungs im Wandel. Hamburg 1998: Czwalina, pp. 41-56.
4. ↑ Super marathon | 48th GutsMuths Rennsteiglauf on May 16, 2020. Accessed on July 29, 2019 . 
5. ↑ Guido Gallenkamp: The route of the WHEW100 - WHEW100 100km ultramarathon. Retrieved November 21, 2017 . 
6. ↑ BERGischer ULTRA. (No longer available online.) In: www.meldelaeufer.de. Archived from the original on October 24, 2016 ; accessed on October 24, 2016 . Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice.  
7. ↑ WiBoLT , accessed June 1, 2013
8. ↑ ^{a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v} de.srichinmoyraces.org / Laufkalender 2016 On: Nov. 30, 2015.
9. ↑ de.srichinmoyraces.org / 6-hour run Munich on: January 16, 2013.
10. ^ Christian Pflügler: Home → 6-hour run Münster. In: www.6h-lauf-muenster.de. Retrieved April 21, 2016 . 
11. ↑ ehunmilak Ultra-Trail official website
12. ↑ Home - 12h prambachkirchen. In: www.12hprambachkirchen.com. Retrieved July 13, 2016 . 
13. ↑ Start. In: 24h run in Irdning - the largest ultra running event in Austria. Retrieved June 3, 2016 . 
14. ↑ Hiru Haundiak official website
15. ↑ ^{a b c} nz.srichinmoyraces.org / Ultra Trio Race On: Jan. 17, 2013.
16. ↑ www.grandraid-reunion.com
17. ↑ ^{a b c d} ca.srichinmoyraces.org / Events On: Jan. 17, 2013.
18. ↑ ^{a b c} nz.srichinmoyraces.org / Sri Chinmoy 6-12-24 Hour Track Races On: Nov. 30, 2015.
19. ↑ ^{a b} us.srichinmoyraces.org / Events On: Jan 16, 2013.
20. ↑ Dirk Cloete makes it a desert hat-trick , accessed May 22, 2012
21. ↑ Kalahari Augrabies Extreme Marathon ( memento of the original from April 26, 2012 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was automatically inserted and not yet checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. , accessed May 22, 2012 
22. ↑ The Velpker Samtgemeindelauf ( memento of the original from November 24, 2015 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was automatically inserted and not yet checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. , accessed Nov 28, 2013 
23. ↑ Donation marathons
24. ↑ Alina Schwermer: Long-distance run through Iran: The woman cannot be stopped . In: The daily newspaper: taz . January 19, 2018, ISSN  0931-9085 ( taz.de [accessed August 2, 2020]).

literature

• Hubert Beck: The big book about the ultra marathon . Copress 2015. ISBN 978-3-7679-1193-2
• Werner Sonntag: More than a marathon - ways to ultra running . Sportwelt Verlag , Betzenstein 2013. ISBN 978-3-941297-28-9

Movie

• I Want to Run - The toughest race in the world by Achim Michael Hasenberg, cinema documentary 2012, 92 minutes

Web links

Commons : Ultramarathon  - collection of pictures, videos and audio files

• German ultramarathon association with leaderboards, dates, statistics
• International Association of Ultra Runners
• Ultramarathon on the DLV website
• Ultramarathon Illustrated overview on pure-run.de