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. :)

The Last Desert Ultramarathon Is Underway

It seems not everyone is having problems getting around Antarctica. Over the weekend Racing The Planet launched the 2010 edition of the Last Desert, which is an annual ultramarathon event that takes place way down south. This year's race features 56 competitors from 22 countries around the globe.

The race got underway on Saturday with the runners hitting the ice on King George Island, where South African Ryan Sandes ruled the day, which consisted of a 90km (55 mile) run in temperatures below freezing. Sunday's second stage was suspended due to bad weather, so the race has moved on to Deception Island today, where they continue to run in a snow storm. For updates on the event as they are posted, click here.

This is the fourth edition of the Last Desert Race, and as usual it caps another year of the 4 Deserts Series. Due to the challenging weather conditions, this is the most difficult of the four races, and in order to compete, the athletes have to have finished two of the other races in the series, which includes the Gobi March, Atacama Crossing, and the Sahara Race, in addition to the Last Desert. The seven day, six-stage even, which will cover more than 250km (155 miles) will come to an end on Saturday.

Karl Meltzer Runs "the Human Express"

I'm not sure how this one escaped my notice, but I read about it last night and then caught another post over at the Outside Blog this morning. It seems that ultra-endurance run Karl Meltzer has just completed a 2064-mile (3321km)  run along the old Pony Express trail, beginning in Sacramento and ending in St. Joseph, Missouri.

The run was christened the Human Express and was sponsored by Red Bull. Karl got underway on September 15th and took just 40 days to finish the journey, which included him crossing the Rocky Mountains and a portion of the Great Plains. Along the way, Meltzer ran approximately 50 miles (80km) per day, but on the final leg he decided to take it up a notch, run 105 miles (169km) straight, so that he could reach the finish line at last. On one of his days in Utah, he even ran 23 miles, stopped to play nine holes of golf, then ran another 27 miles afterward. For the record, he reportedly shot a 44.

For fans of endurance racing, Meltzer is a well known figure. He has competed in a number of ultramarathons, and back in 2008 we followed along with his Appalachian Assault, during which he ran the length of the 2174 mile (3498km) Appalachian Trail in just under 55 days.

Congrats to Karl on another amazing accomplishment. Just wish I could have followed the run a bit more closely, but better late than never. On a side note, does anyone else's legs hurt just thinking about this?

Ray Zahab and Kevin Vallely Announce "What's Next"!

While I was away last week, ultra-runners Ray Zahab and Kevin Vallely announce their plans for their next adventure as well. The two men have quite a history of traveling for long distances across remote and demanding environments, and their next expedition will be no exception in that department either. Last week, Ray announced on Facebook that the pair would be crossing the Atacama Desert in Chile on foot saying: "I have been promising for weeks to fill you in on whats next...what is the January i2P Expedition...well, here it is ! Over 1100 kms of running, roughly 80 kms per day, sporadic resupply."

The quote was accompanied by a brief video that had Ray explaining a bit about the run, which will throw him and Kevin into one of the driest places on the planet. He notes that they'll only have the potential to get water about once per day, so it'll be a challenging expedition from that stand point alone. They'll also average approximately 80km (50 miles) per day, which sounds amazingly brutal.

Of course, they'll be undertaking this expedition under the umbrella of the impossible2Possible organization, which means they'll also be reaching out to hundreds of classrooms and thousands of students along the way as well. They'll also be focused on the theme of biodiversity, which is at the center of all of i2P's activities this year.

Ray and Kevin are certainly no strangers to these kinds of long distance tests of endurance. Earlier this year, as you may recall, they ran the length of Lake Baikal in Siberia during the winter. On that journey they managed to average more than 50km per day, covering the entire 640+ kilometers in just 13 days. The Atacama Desert will be a completely different challenge, but considering that Ray has already run across the Sahara, I think he knows what he's getting himself into.

I'll obviously post more on this as the expedition takes places.

New Ultramarathon Announced For 2011 In Louisiana

A new ultramarathon, dubbed the Rouge-Orleans, is scheduled to take place in March of 2011, with ultrarunners and relay teams running a 126.2 mile course from Baton Rouge to Audubon Park in New Orleans. Best of all, the event takes place during the Mardi Gras weekend, earning it the slogan of "Come to run, stay to party!"

The entire route of the race, which takes place from March 4-6, 2011, will be run along the Mississippi River levee, which means it will meander along side the waterway, passing by sugarcane plantations, old farms, and swamps in the process. During the 100+ mile run, the course barely touches any roads at all, which means the runners won't have to deal with traffic on their epic footrace down the river.

Registration information can be found by clicking here with options to run the ultra as a single athlete or as part of a relay team of 2 or 3 people. The race will begin in a wave start format, with the faster runners to the front. There will also be a mandatory 40 hour cut-off time for the finish of the race. That cut-off will be strictly enforced, after all, you wouldn't want to miss out.

It looks like this is going to be a great event for next year, mixing a challenging ultra with a fun weekend in the Big Easy. The weather in March is expected to be comfortable and in the 70's temperature wise, and with the schedule of the race, it should make for a great tune up for the Western States or the Badwater. If you ever needed motivation to keep training during the winter months, here it is!

Pole to Pole: Ultra-athlete Running From North to South Pole

Australian ultrarunner Pat Farmer revealed an expedition of absolutely epic proportions yesterday when he announced that he'll be running from the North Pole to the South Pole in 2011. The journey will get underway in March at the North Pole and will end 11-months later when he reaches the South Pole, 13,000 miles away.

According to this article, Farmer will begin at 90ºN and head south into Canada, then proceed down the West Coast of the U.S. and into Mexico, before continuing through Central and South America. Eventually, he'll end up in Ushuaia, Argentina, where he'll be airlifted to Patriot Hills on the Antarctic continent, where he'll then complete the last leg of the journey, ending at 90ºS. When he's finished, the Aussie will have run through 14 countries and three continents. He estimates he'll wear through 40 pairs of shoes and 300 pairs of socks in the process.

As if the goal of running from one pole to another wasn't grand enough, Farmer has even loftier designs for his run. He hopes to raise $100 million for the Red Cross along the way to aid efforts for clean water and sanitation programs around the world. He also intends to address the United Nations after he has completed his mission as well.

You can read more about the journey and follow along with Pat on his website, which as of this writing is down for maintenance and updates. I'm sure it'll have all kinds of info once it is up and running properly however.

Ultra Trail du Mont Blanc Canceled Due To Bad Weather!

One of the toughest endurance events in the world got underway earlier today, and then was promptly canceled part way in. The North Face Ultra Trail du Mont Blanc was stopped 31 miles in due to severe weather on the trail, particularly at higher altitude. Detail are still a bit sketchy at this time, but a press conference is expected to take place shortly with the race director explaining the situation. As of this writing, the athletes are all being shuttled back to Chamonix.

The UTMB is an ultramarathon that takes place annually crossing through the Alps and covering more than 100 miles, and passing through France, Italy, and Switzerland. It routine attracts some of the best long distance endurance athletes in the world, and is considered one of the crown jewels in the ultramaraton schedule each year. The trail is a loop around Mont Blanc that typically requires about 20 hours to complete, with the bulk of the racers finishing in the 30-40 hour range

From reports from the race, it seems that many of the racers are quite upset with this turn of events. I'm sure that the race management team only has their best interest in mind, but after training for months to prepare for the run, it can be quite disappointing to have it end like this.

I'm sure we'll know more on this story soon.

Leadville 100 Ultramarathon is Tomorrow

The fun and games continue in Leadville tomorrow, as the dust has barely settled on the Leadville 100 Mountain Bike Race, which was run last weekend, and tomorrow top endurance athletes taking the line for the Leadville Trail 100-mile Run, an ultramarathon that uses a similar route, and shares the 50-miles out and back format.

Much like its mountain biking counterpart, this trail run features all kinds of challenges, including plenty of climbs and thin air. The foot race begins at 9200 feet and climbs as high as 12,600 feet at Hope Pass, with most of the route taking place over forest trails and along mountain roads.

The ultra-run will get underway tomorrow morning at 4AM local time. Those that finish within 25-hours will be awarded a massive belt buckle that proudly proclaims their feat. There is a 30-hour overall cut-off that all runners must meet, which ends at 10AM Sunday morning. If they haven't reached the finish line by then, they'll be picked-up from the course.

Good luck to all the runners. Have an amazing time, and don't forget to enjoy the view!

The 2010 Badwater Ultra is Underway!

The first competitors in this year's Badwater Ultramarathon have hit the trail this morning and are already running through the early morning heat of Death Valley. Ahead of them is one of the toughest, most challenging courses in all of endurance sports, and most will spend the next two days completing the event.

The Badwater is one of the biggest races in all of the ultra endurance events. It is 135 miles of suffering, beginning in Badwater, California, located in the heart of Death Valley. Competitors begin at 280 feet below sea level, and will run mostly non-stop until they reach the Mt. Whitney Portals, located at 8300 feet up that mountain. Along the way, they'll pass over three different mountain ranges, and gain more than 13,000 feet of elevation.

As if all of that wasn't bad enough, they'll also have to endure the blast furnace temperatures that Death Valley is famous for. Over the next few days, temperatures are expected to hover around the 100ºF mark, although it is not uncommon in July for the temps to climb above 120ºF.

For most of the racers, it will take around 40 hours or so to complete, although the fastest runners will complete the entire 135 mile course in just 24 hours. That's more than 5.6 miles per hour, over a full day, in extreme heat and conditions. Very impressive stuff!

The Badwater is once again doing a webcast of the race, but it sometimes offers spotty coverage of what is going on. For instance, at the moment, it appears to be someone's empty hotel room. Hopefully we'll get better coverage as the race continues.

75-Year Old Running For A Cause At The Badwater Ultra

Next Monday marks the start of the 2010 Badwater Ultramarathon, and iconic race amongst the endurance crowd. The 135 mile route runs from the heart of Death Valley, one of the hottest places on the planet, up to the Portals on Mt. Whitney, gaining 8580 feet in the process.

This is one of the toughest footraces on the planet, and the athletes will run for hours on end to cover the distances. It is a grueling test of endurance to be sure, and even the best ultra runners, at the top of their game, struggle through the event. But a 75-year old British man will attempt to make the run, while raising funds for Cerebral Palsy Care in his home town of Kent. 

Jack Denness, lovingly nicknamed Death Valley Jack, is no stranger to the Badwater. He has run the race on 11 other occasions, but at 75 he would become the oldest athlete to ever compete in the event. He is expecting to take roughly 50 hours to finish the course, while dealing with temperatures that could hit as high as 130ºF (54ºC) along the way. 

As I mentioned, Jack is raising money for the CPC in Kent, and his sponsor, Seven Seas Cod Liver Oil, has committed itself to donating money to that cause based on the number of fans that Jack gets on his Facebook page. If we can get Jack to 5000 fans, the company will donate £3000 to the cause. As of this writing, he is sitting at 1859 people, so we've still got some work to do. You can also donate directly to the cause on his Just Giving page, found here. 

The Badwater won't be Jack's only endurance event of the year. He's also committed to running in Racing The Planet's Sahara Race, taking place in October as well. That's a week long, six stage event that is quite the challenge in it's own right.

I hope when I'm 75 I can still walk to the mailbox and back without getting out of breath. Good luck to Jack at the Badwater next week!

The 2010 Gobi March Begins This Weekend!

The 2010 edition of the Gobi March is set to get underway this weekend, with more than 150 ultra-runners from around the globe descending on Urumqi, China to begin a week long stage race through the grueling environment of the Gobi Desert. 


The Gobi March is part of Racing The Planet's 4 Deserts series of ultramarathons. This one takes place in far western China in the city-oasis of Turpan, in the Xinjiang Autonomous Region. Each day will mark a stage of the race, with runners setting out in the morning carrying the supplies they will need for the day. The weather is traditionally quite warm, and dry, as you might expect from a desert race, and back in 2005, it actually reached 122ºF on one of the stages. 


At the end of each stage, the competitors will rest for the night in a tent city that is constructed for them by the race organizers. They'll have food, water and shelter while there, but once they hit the trail, it is up to them to make their way between checkpoints carrying their own gear and navigating through the open desert. The top competitors will finish the all six stages in a combined time of roughly 25 hours, but the bulk of the pack will be much further back than that. Day in and day out, this can be quite a difficult event, as the participants are essentially running nearly a marathon each day, in some of the most extreme conditions on the planet.

Maybe while their out there, they'll bump into Ripley Davenport. (And yes, I do know he's in Mongolia!)

Enter the Vibram Grip Your World Sweepstakes

Yesterday we had Teva giving away some great gear, today it's Vibram with a sweepstakes to send someone on a trip to Chamonix, France.

To enter the Grip Your World Sweepstakes, you simply have to go to GripYourWorld.com, Vibram's new website for outdoor enthusiasts, and upload a photo of yourself taking part in some outdoor activity. You can share a story about your adventure if you'd like to give it some context too, but that isn't required to enter the contest. The sweepstakes will run through June 18th, at which time a grand prize winner will be selected at random.

That lucky winner will be sent off on a trip for two to Chamonix, France, one of the great adventure location in the Alps, to attend the North Face's Tour du Mont Blanc, an annual ultra-marathon that covers 166km (103 miles) around Mont Blanc, the highest mountain in Western Europe. The travel package includes roundtrip airfare to Switzerland, ground transportation via train to Chamonix, three nights accommodations, and VIP passes to the event.

Twenty second place winners will receive a pair of Vibram FiveFingers footwear.

The contest is only open to residents of the U.S. and Canada. Good luck!

Marathon des Sables Begins Sunday

Competitors from around the globe are descending on Morocco where they are preparing to compete in what some call the most challenging footrace on the planet, the Marathon des Sables.

The race is a six day, 243km (151 mile) race that takes place annually in the Sahara Desert. Over those six days, the competitors will run the equivalent of five-and-a-half marathons, usually in very trying conditions. Temperatures often exceed 120ºF and the brutal sun only gives way to blowing sands that can make for extremely challenging conditions for the racers. As you can imagine, that heat and sand can play havoc with your feet as well, turing them into a blistered mess after just one day.

As if running a marathon under those conditions wasn't challenging enough, the competitors will also have to carry all of their gear (save their tent!) and water with them as they go. Each checkpoint will ration out more water for them, but other than that, they must be completely self sufficient while in the desert. This is especially important on the 4th day, which is usually the longest, and often stretches well into the night.

Now in its 24th year, the Marathon des Sables, or Marathon of the Sands, is considered one of the grand jewels of endurance sports. It is challenging on many levels, and attracts some of the top ultramarathon athletes from around the globe each year. 2010 will be no different, as dozens of runners are now assembling, and preparing to get underway in a few days time.

Good luck to all the racers. Enjoy the challenge and the scenery.

Runner Attempts Solo, Unsupported Crossing of the U.S.

Long distance endurance runner Abe Clark is attempting to make a solo and unsupported run across the United States, covering 2860 miles in 136 days without a support vehicle following along. Like a number of other adventures we've seen in recent months, he's making this epic run in an effort to raise awareness for the growing global need for clean drinking water. Abe is also concentrating his fund raising efforts for the Living Water International organization.

Abe has already been out on the road for more than month, having started in Oceanside, California. He is now on his 33rd day, and has run all the way to Bloomfield, New Mexico. He's been keeping a running tally of his daily destinations on his blog, recording his mileage and keeping us informed of what his experiences were like out on the road that day. On his "light" days, Abe is running 10-15 miles, but most days it is more like 25-40, depending on location and conditions.

If successful in his run, Abe will become the 12th person to run coast-to-coast across the U.S. His route is meant to take him through the American Southwest, and then eventually into the Heartland before proceeding on to the East Coast. At the moment, he has the entire schedule mapped out, just in case you want to see if he's coming through your neighborhood. But the website also notes that he is 2+ days ahead of schedule at the moment. If the original schedule holds up, Abe plans to be in Atlantic City, New Jersey, and touch the Atlantic Ocean, by June 30th of this year.

Good luck on the rest of your journey Abe, and thank to Josh for sending this my way!

Siberian Express: Kevin and Ray Are Done Too!

Another epic adventure came to a close yesterday, as Kevin Vallely and Ray Zahab completed their Siberian Express Expedition, running the length of Lake Baikal, and setting a new speed record in the process.

The pair set out on their ultrarun two weeks ago, dragging their gear laden sleds behind them, and traveling south to north across the largest freshwater lake in the world. As has been a trend in recent adventure activities, they were running to raise awareness of growing concerns of the global clean water crisis, and specifically they were hoping to raise funds for the Ryan's Well and Giving Water organizations. Over the past 13 days, they have battled extreme cold, high winds, and widely varying conditions, while covering amazing distances each day, despite their weary bodies and heavy loads. In the end, it seems to have paid off in a big way.

According to the team's blog, the team not only beat the old record for a speed crossing of the 400+ mile journey, they down right smashed it! While no official time has been posted yet, it appears that Kevin and Ray have beaten the old time by more than a week. Very impressive stuff from two very impressive guys.

The blog also says that we can expect more information, including videos and photos, in the days ahead. As you can imagine, the guys are probably exhausted at the moment, and are hopefully resting some place warm and cozy. Congrats to Kevin, Ray, and the entire impossible2Possible team for another job well done.

World Run II Update: The End of Africa

A few weeks back I posted a story about the World Run II, a long distance endurance run like nothing I've ever seen before. The event is the brainchild of Danish ultrarunner Jesper Olsen, who is about to become the first person to ever run the length of Africa, north to south, as he finishes the first half of an amazing long distance odyssey on foot.

On Saturday, March 13, Jesper will be running into Cape Point, South Africa, which will mark the end of the first stage of World Run II, which began back on July 1st of 2008, when he set off from the northernmost tip of Norway, and started running south. Now, 20 months, and nearly 21,250 kilometers later, he's about to set some very impressive firsts. In addition to becoming the first person to run across Africa, north to south, he'll also become the first person to run from the most northerly point in Europe, to the southernmost tip of Africa, and he'll be the first to complete two documented runs of more than 20,000km, having finished his first during World Run I back in 2005, which went for more than 26,000km.

Upon reaching Cape Point, Jesper will then take a few months off to rest and recover before beginning the second stage of World Run II. That stage will begin in Punta Arenas, Chile, and will see him running north this time, covering the length of South America, up through Central America, into Mexico, and the U.S. before ending in Mt. Pearl, Newfoundland, Canada. When he's done, Jesper will have covered more than 40,000km, through all kinds of terrain and weather conditions.

I just wanted to take the opportunity to salute Jesper and what he's accomplished so far. While he still has a long way to go before he finishes World Run II, it is very impressive what he has accomplished so far. What an amazing expedition this has been through Africa, and what a great way to see the world – on your own two feet!

Update: It seems my original information was off just a bit. Jesper will now be arriving in Cape Point on Monday, not Saturday. We can afford him a little extra time to take in the sights though considering how far he has just run, right?

Siberian Express: Kevin and Ray Push Forward

The Siberian Express expedition keeps moving forward, with polar explorers Ray Zahab and Kevin Vallely struggling against the elements as they continue to go for a new speed record for crossing Lake Baikal, the largest freshwater lake in the world, located in the southern part of Russia's Siberia region.

Over the past couple of days, the boys have continued to face unrelenting winds that have made it a challenge every step of the way, but despite those conditions, they've also continued to rack up the mileage as well. Most days they're knocking off in excess of 40+ kilometers a day (roughly 21.5 miles), and as of right now, they're on pace to break the record for crossing the massive body of water by more than five days!

Both Kevin and Ray are missing their friends and families at the moment, and they know that the sooner they are done with their little run, the sooner they can get back home. The challenging terrain and weather conditions aren't going to make it easy on them though, and due to the unusually high humidity, all of their gear remains wet at all times, including their sleeping bags. Despite all of that though, on their tenth day into the expedition, they're getting more acclimated to the conditions, and finding themselves enjoying the challenge.

One of the major goals for the expedition was to connect with students in classrooms around the world, and share the adventure with them. This program, which is done in conjunction with the impossible2Possible organization, has been a great success so far, and it seems that both men look forward to their interactions with the classrooms each day.

Below is a video that helps to bring home exactly what Kevin and Ray are dealing with while out on the ice. It's hard not to have massive respect for the guys when you watch this.

goi2p on livestream.com. Broadcast Live Free

Endurance Runner Set To Run 50 Miles In 50 States

I've written about endurance athlete Lisa Smith-Batchen in the past, most notably when she was taking on Death Valley both on foot and bike a few years back. That was an 810 mile odyssey that involved the Badwater Ultra and the Furnace Creek 508. Now, she's about to embark on another long distance event that will wrack up even more mileage.

On April 19th, Lisa will kick off the Running Hope Through America event, which will see her covering 50 miles in all 50 states over a period of 62 days. She'll get things started in Trenton, New Jersey and proceed from there, finishing up in Jackson Hole, Wyoming on June 19th.

As usual, Lisa isn't just running because she loves to run, although she obviously does love it. She'll be running to raise awareness and funds for a variety of charities, such as the Orphan Foundation of America, the Caring House Project, Aids Orphans Rising. Lisa is also part of the Dream Chasers Foundation, a group of dedicated endurance athletes who work together to channel their considerable energies towards helping charitable organizations.

While two athletes have completed 50 marathons in 50 states (Dean Karnazes being one of them), no one has ever gone for 50 miles in all 50 states. Lisa is hoping to become the first, and judging by her past performance, i wouldn't bet against. her. Good luck Lisa!

22nd Annual Rhodes Trail Run Accepting Applications

The 2010 Rhodes Trail Run may still be several months off, but those interested in running the iconic long distance off road race in South Africa may want to get their entries in soon. Personal invitations for the event went out last week, and slots are already being filled for this amazing race that should be on the radar of any endurance runner.

The race is scheduled to take place on Saturday, July 3rd, beginning and ending in the hamlet of Rhodes, South Africa. Covering a distance of 52km (28 miles), the course will wind its way through remote and challenging terrain that would put any trail runner to the test in the best of conditions. But the Rhodes Trail Run is rarely held under the "best of conditions". Weather is a frequent threat during the event, with high winds, icy trails, and snow a possibility throughout.

If the weather wasn't enough of a challenge however, runners will have to consider the altitude as well. The race begins at 1800m (5905 feet) and goes as high as 2680m (8793 feet), with the average altitude sitting at about 2560m (8399 ft). That's some serious altitude gain over the course of the run, and athletes should be prepared to deal with that as they go. To help ensure that runners are ready, the organizers of the event have put together some training tips that may come in handy.

So? Who wants to go to South Africa this summer to compete in a really tough, but amazing race? And I say "summer" because I live in the Northern Hemisphere. From the looks of the conditions on the course during the event, it would be anything but "summer" while we're running. Seems like a very cool race if any of you endurance athletes are looking for a new challenge.