Video: The Yukon Arctic Ultra Endurance Race

The Yukon Arctic Ultra is one of the toughest endurance races on the planet. The event takes place each year in Canada during the dead of winter and sends athletes on a 430-mile run along the Yukon Quest sled dog trail. To say it is cold would be an understatement and athletes need tobe self-sufficient while out on the trail.

A new documentary captures the spirit of the race very well, showing us why athletes push themselves to the limit in such a harsh environment, while also demonstrating why this just might be the toughest race on the planet. You can watch the entire video online, and I've embedded it below. It is a little more than an hour in length, so pop some popcorn and get comfortable.




The Yukon Arctic Ultra from Yukon Arctic Ultra on Vimeo.

Running The Silk Road Update: Finish Line Reached!

After 150 days of running, and 10,000km (6214 miles), Kevin Lin and Bai Bin have reached the finish line of their epic run along the historical Silk Road. The two men completed their expedition in the Chinese city of Xi'an last Friday, ending their journey in one of the most well known destinations along the ancient trade route.

Kevin and Bai Bin first hit the road back on April 20th of this year, and proceeded to run across Turkey, Iran, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, and into the Xinjian, Gansu, and Shannxi provinces of China. Along the way they've faced bad weather, including snowstorms, sandstorms, and extreme heat in the final days of their run. The expedition has taken its psychological and physical toll on them, sending them to the hospital in Iran and ongoing issues with shin splints and gastroenteritis.

This amazing journey was sponsored by The Home Expedition, a non-profit that is dedicated to promoting sustainable, environmentally friendly, options for people and places that don't always have the resources they need. For instance, this run was undertaken to help bring awareness for the severe shortage of clean drinking water in the countries that the Silk Road passes through.

Congratulations to Kevin, Bai Bin and the entire THE organization for reaching their goal and completing this expedition. This was an unbelievably challenging undertaking, and having finished it by averaging more than 66km (41 miles) per day of running, is very impressive. I hope you're all home safe and sound now, with your feet comfortably propped up.

Ultrarunners Seriously Injured In Australian Brushfire

SleepMonsters.com is reporting that four ultrarunners competing in the Kimberly Ultramarathon were seriously injured by a brushfire last Friday.  Apparently, runners Kate Sanderson, Turia Pitt, Michael Hull, and South African Martin Van Der Merwe were caught in a canyon when the fire started, with each of them sustaining serious, and in the case of the two women, life threatening injuries.

The event, which is put on by Racing The Planet, took place in the northern region of Western Australia and featured a course 100km (62 miles) in length. The Kimberley Plateau is well known for its remote and rugged terrain, featuring steep canyon walls and twisting gorges. Dry weather conditions likely helped contribute to the fire.

The four athletes who became trapped by the flames were forced to try to out run them as they quickly engulfed the small gorge they were traversing at the time. As a result, Sanderson and Pitt have suffered burns to 60-80% of their bodies, and both are listed in critical condition in Darwin hospital. Hull and Van Der Merwe escaped with 10-20% of their bodies burned, and while their conditions are not as dire, they remain in the hospital as well.

Such a sad story, and lets hope the two ladies pull through. Living in Austin, Texas, I have an understanding about how bad these wildfires can be at the moment. They spark up unexpectedly and spread very quickly, bringing a lot of destruction in their wake.

Keep your fingers crossed for these athletes.

Jornet, Hawker Win North Face Ultra Trail du Mont Blanc

As I mentioned last Friday, this weekend was the annual North Face Ultra Trail du Mont Blanc, one of the toughest ultra-marathons in the world. Late Friday, 2300 competitors set out on the 166km (103 miles) course, which circles Mount Blanc, the tallest peak in western Europe, and crosses through Italy, Switzerland, and France in the process. It is a truly spectacular trail with plenty of wonderful scenery and tough challenges.

The race got off to a rocky start when storms delayed the event for more than five hours, and once it was underway, it turned into one of the most challenge UTMB's ever. Rock slides forced the course to be extended to 169km, while rain and snow tested the competitors at every turn. In the end though, it didn't seem to matter, as Kilian Jornet came in first, crossing the finish line in a record time of 20 hours, 36 minutes, 43 seconds. Lizzy Hawker would take first place for the ladies, coming home in 25 hours, 2 minutes even.

So what's it like to run the Ultra Trail do Mont Blanc? Check out the beautiful video below to see for yourself. It is both inspiring and exhausting at the same time. Wow!

The North Face Ultra-Trail du Mount Blanc Begins Today

One of the toughest ultra-trail runs in the world gets underway today in Chamonix, France, where some of the best long distance runners will set out on the North Face Ultra-Trail du Mount Blanc. The race, which stretches for 166km (103 miles) and includes 9600 meters (31,496ft) of vertical gain, runs through the Alps in the shadow of Mount Blanc, one of the most famous peaks in all of Europe.

The race will start with approximately 2300 competitors, although not all will make it to the finish. The trail actually circles around the mountain, passing through three countries – France, Italy, and Switzerland – along the popular Tour du Mount Blanc trekking route. Hikers who make the trek usually take 7-9 days to finish the entire trail, but the top runners will do it in about 20 hours, while the cut-off for the race is 46 hours.

When heading out on the course, the runners are expected to carry a minimum of safety gear with them along the trail. That includes a rain jacket, warmer clothes, extra food and water, a safety whistle, survival blanket and a head lamp. They'll be able to resupply with food and water at stations along the course, which are spaced out about every 10-15km (6-9 miles).

The UTMB is always a challenging race to say the least, as the trail is not an easy one, and it has plenty of altitude to contend with as well. Bad weather has been a problem in recent years as well, but hopefully this year the weather will hold, and the racers will be able to run the trail safely.

The Leadville Trail 100 Run Is This Weekend

The epic Leadville Trail 100 Run is set to take place tomorrow in Leadville, Colorado. The 100-mile long "Race Across the Sky" will test some of the best endurance runners on the planet with a grueling course designed to push anyone to the limit.

The actual race itself begins at 4AM in the morning with the athletes setting out for one very long day on the trail. The top runners will finish in around 18 hours (last year's champ Duncan Callahan came in with a time of 17:43:24) while the bulk of the pack will take somewhere in the neighborhood of 24-28 hours to finish, depending on conditions. There is a mandatory 30-hour cut off for the race as well, and a lot of runners fall outside of that window.

While obviously the length of the trail is always a concern, the altitude in Leadville adds another dimension to the run. It is a 50-miles out and back course, with the lowest point falling at 9200 feet (2804 meters) while the highest is 12,600 feet (3840 meters). Needless to say, in between there are a lot of ups and downs.

Last year, Lifetime Fitness took over the Leadville series of athletic events and has been promoting it ever since. Before, it was always more of a grassroots affair, but it feels a bit more corporate this time out. On the other hand, the Leadville 100 Mountain Bike Race, which took place last weekend, seemed to fly under the radar. The past few years it has been a media circus, with guys like Lance Armstrong and Levi Leipheimer, amongst others, riding in the event. I actually had to actively search for the results this time out, and barely knew that it was taking place.

Good luck to all the runners tomorrow. Stay safe on the trail!

World Run II Update: Heading North Through Peru

I was reminded earlier today by my friend Darrell Raubenheimer, who organizes the terrific Rhodes Run in South Africa, that I hadn't posted an update on Jesper Olsen and his World Run II in awhile. Turns out Darrell was right, I haven't written about Jesper in nearly a year and a half, and since that time, he's continued to make tremendous progress.

For those that don't remember, World Run II was the Danish ultrarunner's attempt to run more than 40,000km (24,855 miles), fully documenting and tracking his progress via GPS. The run began at the northernmost point in Finland and continued south across Europe, into Turkey and onto the Middle East, then into Africa, before finally running out of land in Cape Town. From there, Jesper jumped across the pond, and turned his way north at last, resuming his run in Punta Arenas, Chile. He has since made his way into Argentina, and now Peru, as he continues to make steady progress towards the top of South America. From there, he'll cross into Cuba, run the length of that island, then move on to the United States, where he'll travel from Miami to the tip of Nova Scotia, Canada, his eventual finish line.

Along the way, Jesper has been posting updates from the field and sharing information and photos on his progress. He is now into his 30th day in Peru, and while he has experienced stomach issues (something that plagued him throughout Africa as well), he continues to make steady progress. In his last dispatch, he was running near Nazca, Peru, home of the famous Nazca lines, where he mentioned he was hoping to find a good hotel where he could rest up for a few days, and let his stomach ailments pass.

When I've written about the World Run II in the past, I've always been in awe that anyone would undertake such a journey on foot. Of course, this isn't Olsen's first long distance run. As you might have guessed, he has the World Run I under his belt as well, during which he quite literally ran around the world, covering 26,232 km (16,300 miles) in the process. The sequel to that run is much longer of course, and, it seems, more demanding as well.

I'll try not to take so long between updates next time. Obviously Jesper still has a long way to go and will be experiencing some interesting things as he continues. Reaching Cuba should definitely be an interesting milestone. Oh, and for the record, he has so far run 27,346km (16,992 miles). I'm not sure my car has that many miles on it!

Oswaldo Lopez Wins 2011 Badwater Ultra

The 2011 Badwater Ultramarathon was run earlier this week, with Oswaldo Lopez claiming the victory. Lopez, who finished second the past two years, finished the 135 mile course in 23 hours, 41 minutes, and 40 seconds. That was good enough to put him past the finish line more than hour ahead of the second place finisher, Japan's Ryoichi Sekiya, who finished at 24:49:37.

The annual foot race is considered to be one of the most challenging in the world. The runners start in the town of Badwater, located in Death Valley at 280 feet (85 meters) below sea level and finishes at 8300 feet (2530 meters) on Mt. Whitney. Along the way they have to endure the desert heat and then take on more than 13,000 feet of vertical gain, while running for hours on end.

Third place in this year's race went to Michael Wardian, who finished in 26:22:01 and the first woman to cross the finish line was Sumie Inagaki of Japan, with a time of 28:49:27.

Impressive times for a race that is 135 miles in length. Congrats to all the athletes who participated in the event and managed to finish. Its crazy enough to run in Death Valley in July, let alone for 24+ hours. Well done.

2011 Badwater Ultra Is Underway

Earlier today, the 2011 Badwater Ultramarathon got underway in Death Valley, with some of the top endurance athletes in the world setting out on a 135 mile course will test their abilities, while pushing them to the limits both physically and mentally.

Held annually in the July heat of Death Valley, this ultra is always listed amongst the toughest in the world. The race begins in the small town of Badwater, which has the distinction of being the lowest point in the Western Hemisphere at 280 feet (85 meters) below sea level. From there, the runners head out into the desert towards the eventual finishing point at the Mt. Whitney Portals, located at 8300 feet (2530 meters) on that mountain. In between, they'll cross over three mountain ranges, with a cumulative altitude gain of over 13,000 feet (3962 meters).

Of course, by now we're use to reading about these amazing endurance athletes running incredibly long distances that would require a car for most of us. But what usually sets the Badwater apart, is the extreme heat that the runners can experience in Death Valley. As of this writing, temperatures are around 93ºF/33.8ºC, but it hasn't even reached the hottest part of the day yet.

Traditionally, it takes about 24 hours for the first runners to cross the finish line, give or take an hour. Last year's winner, Zach Gingerich, completed the course in 24 hours, 44 minutes, and 48 seconds. That's a long time to run in the best of conditions, let alone in the desert heat and up and down some mountains. The vast majority of the runners will take 35+ hours to complete their Badwater experience.

For the record, I'll go for a run today in temperatures that are expected to be around 101ºF/37.7ºC. The difference is, my run will be somewhere in the neighborhood of 4-5 miles (6-8km) in length, and afterwards I'll be rehydrating for an hour. I can't imagine what it must be like for these athletes.

Kilian Jornet Wins Western States 100

As mentioned last week, the Western States 100 was held this past weekend in California, where the world's top long distance trail runners gathered to test themselves on the 100 mile long course between Squaw Valley and Auburn. This year, they not only had to contend with the usual challenges, such as 40,000+ feet of elevation change and rugged terrain, but also large amounts of snow that caused the course to be altered. In the end, it was Spaniard Kilian Jornet who took first place amongst the men, while Ellie Greenwood, a Scot living in Canada, was tops amongst the women.

The highly anticipated showdown between Jornet and defending champ Geoff Roes failed to materialize when Roes was forced to pull out of the race at the 55-mile mark. Last year, Jornet was leading the pack, but failed to carry any water with him on the trail. As a result, he ran out of steam, allowing a surging Roes to overtake him. This year, Jornet took no chances with the water, and ran a good race, finishing at 15 hours, 34 minutes, and 25 seconds. The time would have been faster, but he and several of the front runners strayed from the main trail for time, losing about 15 minutes total. As it stands, this was the third fastest time ever run at the WS100 and Jornet has become the first foreign born winner of the 37-year old race. Mike Wolfe of Montana took second place in the race with a time of 15:38:30.

For her part, Greenwood turned in an impressive time too, finishing the 100 mile course in 17 hours, 55 minutes. She beat out a strong field of female contenders that included last year's defending champ Tracy Garneau and three-time winner Nikki Kimball.

Congrats to the winners and everyone who ran the race. If you finished, and earned that belt buckle, wear it with pride!

2011 Gobi March Begins This Weekend

This weekend is turning out to be a good one for endurance athletes. Not only do we have an exceptional adventure race in Colorado and the Western States 100 in California, halfway around the world another group of ultrarunners are preparing to set out on the 2011 edition of the Gobi March, a 250km (155 mile) trek through the Gobi Desert.

The annual race, which is part of the 4 Deserts series of ultramarathons, is set to be another grueling affair this year. Race officials were out on the course yesterday and reported that temperatures were around 42ºC (107ºF) and conditions are expected to remain warm after the race gets underway on Sunday.

At the moment, the competitors are all arriving at the Turpan Basin, a remote region of China that is known to be very dry and hot. This year's route will take them through Aydingkol Lake, which sits 155 meters (508 feet) below sea level and is the farthest point from any ocean on the planet. This year there are 152 athletes, from 30 countries, taking part in the Gobi March. Over the course of the six stages and seven days of racing, they'll be completely self supported while out on the course.

One of the competitors in the 2011 Gobi March is a friend of mine. His name is Wouter Kingma and he'll be taking part in his first ever ultra-event, although he has run plenty of marathons in the past. Wouter is a well known and respected professional photographer who has often attending these kinds of events in a official capacity to take photographs, but this time he'll be on the other side of the lens. He is running to raise money for the ABC Children's Aid Uganda, an organization that works hard to help children in Uganda who are orphaned due to AIDS/HIV or armed conflict.

I want to wish Wouter and all the competitors good luck in this fantastic event.

impossible2Possible To Launch Expedition Bolivia

Ray Zahab and the rest of the crew at impossible2Possible are getting ready for the next adventure, this time on the salt flats of Bolivia. The organization, which expertly mixes education, inspiration, and a healthy dose of adventure, will launch Expedition Bolivia later this week.

Unlike Ray's solo run of the Atacama Desert earlier this year, Expedition Bolivia is part of i2P's youth ambassador program, which adds several young people to the team. In this case, there are five young men and women joining the usual impossible2Possible team as they cover 250km (155 miles) across a remote region of Bolivia, on foot in just one weeks time. That's roughly a marathon per day for the entire length of the expedition.

This wouldn't be an impossible2Possible project with out an educational element in the mix. As usual, the expedition will reach out to classrooms across the globe, checking in daily with reports from the fields via satellite phone. The project is celebrating the fact that 2011 is the International Year of Chemistry, and as such, they'll be conducting a number of experiments and collecting data while exploring the unusual terrain of the Bolivian salt flats.

Also joining the squad for this expedition is polar explorer Hannah McKeand, who went to the South Pole in record time a few years back and made a solo attempt on the North Pole as well. This is her first endeavor with the i2P organization, but I'm sure she'll have plenty to contribute. To check out the entire team, including the youth ambassadors, click here.

I've written about i2P and its numerous expeditions multiple times here. I'm a big fan of their approach to mixing education and adventure in a way that is engaging to students in classrooms of a variety of ages. The youth ambassador program only adds to that, as it shows young people that they can go out and do some amazing things and visit some incredible places. There is no better way to motivate kids, in my opinion, than showing them someone their own age doing great things. These expeditions do just that, and it has proven to be a great success in the i2P mission.

Good luck to everyone on Expedition Bolivia. Enjoy the run!

The Antarctic Ice Marathon and 100km Ultra Race

In my Antarctic update that I posted earlier today I briefly mentioned that the 2010 Antarctic Ice Marathon took place today way down south on the frozen continent. Reportedly there were 40 competitors from 19 different countries taking part in the event, which saw them running a full 26.2 miles near the Union Glacier base. In preparation for the run, large trucks smoothed out a course, and competitors ran two laps on that course, which was mostly made up of hard packed snow.

The official website for the race has posted the results with Bernardo Fonseca of Brazil claiming the overall win with a time of 4 hours, 20 minutes, 31 seconds. Marc de Keyser of Belgium was second in the men's category, four minutes back, and Steve Hibbs of the U.S. was third, 26 minutes off the pace. In the Women's group the win went to Clare Apps of the UK, with a time of 4 hours, 47 minutes and 37 seconds. Catherine Due of Denmark was second at 5:34:38 and American Sarah Oliphant was third, crossing the finish line with a time of 6:32:48.

The fun isn't over just yet however, as tomorrow will be the 100km (62.1 mile) Ultra-marathon, which has a smaller field of competitors who are willing to endure the Antarctic cold for hours on end, just to run an ultra on that continent. As the race website says, this opens up the opportunity for a "Seven Continents Club" of ultra-runners who have completed an epic race on every continent.

Seems like a great event for cold weather competitors. Not sure I'd like to go all the way down south just to run a marathon, let alone an ultra, but seems like as good an excuse as any to visit Antarctica. But really, I don't need an excuse. I just want to go. :)