In my last blog we started to look at some of the most difficult races all over the world. Here are a few more that push the limits of racing.
When: May 20 – 24, 2019
Over five days, runners take on some of the toughest terrain in Wales. Along the course there’s over 50,000 feet of ascent making this race extra difficult. The Dragon’s Back course has a total close to 196 miles; this means that runners have at least 29 – 42 miles each day to look forward to. Even though this race has difficult terrain, participants will get to check out stunning views (and historical castles) along the way. The course is trackless, so that can make running a little tricky, especially when navigation steep mountains and large rocks. Dragon’s Back is held every other year.
Self-Transcendence 3,100 Mile:
When: June 16 – August 6, 2019
Self-Transcendence is known as the longest certified road race and it might just be the toughest (mentally) for those who participate. For 52 days, runners begin this ultra marathon at 6 a.m. daily. They run the same route (a half-mile city block in Queens) each day and complete over 100 laps daily. This is the ultimate mental challenge because after a while there’s not much to look at. Could you imagine running the same route from 6 a.m to midnight daily? Founded by the Sri Chinmoy Marathon Team, Self-Transcendence began in 1997 and only 40 runners have completed the race.
When: October 19, 2019
This race was created by the same person who started the out of this world Barkley Marathons. Gary Cantrell hosts the Backyard Ultra on his own property in Bell Buckle, Tennessee. Participants have to complete a 4.166667-mile loop in an hour and, after that runners keep going as long as they possibly can. The winner of the race is the last one standing and there are no tie-breaker scenarios. This race is all about mental endurance, along with pushing the human body to the next level.