Badwater Ultramarathon begins today in Death Valley

80 of the world’s top endurance athletes have descended on Badwater, California, located in Death Valley, to take part in the 33rd annual Badwater Ultramarathon, which gets underway at 6AM local time today. Known as “the world’s toughest footrace”, the Badwater is one of the most grueling and demanding competitions on the planet, punishing runners who come to challenge the unbelievable course, the intense natural elements and of course, themselves.

The race begins in the town of Badwater, which sits at the lowest point in the Western Hemisphere – 280 feet below sea level. From there, the course will run 135 miles through the heart of Death Valley, crossing three mountain ranges, before ending at the Mt. Whitney Portals, located at an altitude of 8300 feet. Along the way, the runners will face more than 13,000 feet of vertical gain, as well as 4700 feet of vertical descent. Along the way, temperatures will soar as high as 130ºF, adding yet another element to an already extreme race.

The runners will go day and night, mostly non-stop, throughout the entire race. Support vehicles will be on hand to ensure that they have food and water, not to mention medical attention, as need. The fastest runners will cover the 135 miles in approximately 24 hours or so, while most will take somewhere in the 30-40 hour range. Officially the race runs through Wednesday, with runners straggling across the finish line late into the day.

Ultramarathoners are incredibly fit and tough athletes who are capable of covering great distances, often at amazing speeds. But when it comes to challenging races, few are tougher than the Badwater. While it is too late to join the fun this year, you can start training now to get in on the action next July.

[Photo credit: The Los Angeles Times]

Badwater Ultramarathon begins today

It’s been called the worlds toughest foot race, and amongst endurance athletes, its level of difficulty is legendary. It is the Badwater Ultramarathon, a 135 mile run that starts today in Death Valley and ends Wednesday when the final competitors cross the finish line half-way up Mt. Whitney.

The race begins in Badwater, California, which sits at the heart of Death Valley National Park, the lowest point in North American, falling some 280 feet below sea level. The 135 mile course crosses three mountain ranges and registers a total of more than 13,000 feet of vertical gain, along with another 4,700 feet of descent. Racers will face temperatures climbing up to 130ºF as they run to the finishline which sits at the Mt. Whitney Portal found 8360 feet up that mountain.

This year’s field consists of 88 athletes, 71 men and 17 women. 50 racers are veterans of previous Badwater races, while 38 unsuspecting rookies will set out into the desert for the first time. They hail from seventeen countries from around the globe, and the youngest entrant is just 19 years of age, while the oldest is 67.

Over the next two days, these amazing endurance athletes will race non-stop across that 135 mile course, with the blazing Death Valley sun and opressive heat punishing them every step of the way. The top runners will reach the finishline in roughly 24 hours, while the average racer will finish in about 45 hours. Everyone who finishes in less than 48 hours is awarded the prestigious Badwater belt buckle. There is no prize money and the competitors do it just for the challenge.