An ultramarathon, once the territory of a only few hardy runners and not at all mainstream, is fast becoming a widely enjoyed sport. But what exactly is an ultramarathon?

An ultramarathon is any distance race that exceeds the traditional 26.2-mile marathon length. Ultramarathons can be run on roads, trails, or a mixture of both and are often significantly more challenging than standard marathons due to their increased distance and/or difficult terrain. An easy way to think about it- is if you were to run a marathon and then go back to your car, technically speaking, you would have just completed an ultra race.

Ultramarathons typically start at 50 km and increase from there; common distances are 50 km 100 km and 161k (100 miles), with the latter distance being called a “miler.” Moreover, ultramarathons come in all sorts of distances and formats. As long as the distance is more than a marathon, there are no limits to what it can be.

An example of an Ultramarathon is The Marathon Des Sables, a race that covers 250km split into stages, which is becoming increasingly popular. Runners complete different distances each day and then sleep at night. As the sport continues to grow, more people are trying to push the boundaries – such as the 298km Hong Kong Four Trails Ultra Challenge, which is non-stop and has no support on the trails. Runners generally finish the distance in between 48 and 70 hours.

Additionally, the number of races and a corresponding number of finishers has increased dramatically in the past three decades and can be delineated further as there are several types of ultramarathon races.

Distance-based is one of the various types of ultramarathons. In this type of race, runners attempt to complete a specified distance within a given timeframe. Some of the more popular distances for these kinds of races include 50K, 50 miles, 100K, and 100 miles.

Another type is time-based ultramarathons, which are based on a certain number of hours, rather than distance. There are three different time limits used in these races—6 hours, 12 hours, and 24 hours. Most timed ultras take place on a loop course spanning from several miles to a few miles long. At the end of each loop, participants can stop to refuel or rest as needed before jumping back into the race again.

Lastly, there are obstacle racing ultramarathons as well, which are similar to the aforementioned races but with additional time or distance. A popular example of an obstacle race is the Tough Mudder—ultramarathons add even more difficulty to this event by including obstacles.

Furthermore, ultramarathons often take place in isolated areas, making it tough and costly for race directors to close roads for the prolonged periods of time these events require. Some popular ultramarathon locations include Nevada, New York, South Africa, Greece, and Morocco.

In short, “Longer than a marathon” is an understatement when it comes to ultramarathons. And The word ‘ultra’ refers to the distance, not difficulty. An ultramarathon is inherently hard, but not necessarily harder than a marathon or any other distance. Keep in mind that If you want to finish your marathon within a specific time frame, you will have to maintain a certain pace, keep your legs moving constantly, and focus on your speed and pushing yourself physically throughout the entire race.