Ultramarathon

An ultramarathon is a footrace longer than the traditional marathon distance of 42.195 kilometres, and the sport of running them is called ultra running or ultra distance running. Distances, surfaces and formats vary widely: the shortest common ultramarathon is 50 km, 100 miles is typically the longest course raced in under 24 hours, and longer multi-day races of 48 hours, 200 miles or more are sometimes run in stages with breaks for sleep. The oldest and largest events are on roads, including the Comrades Marathon and Two Oceans Marathon, and many have historical significance, such as the Spartathlon, based on the run of the Greek messenger Pheidippides from Athens to Sparta. World Championships are held by the International Association of Ultrarunners for 50 km, 100 km and 24 hours, and ultramarathons overlap with trail running and mountain running.