The Badwater 135 Ultramarathon undoubtedly can be described as "the world's toughest foot race". It is presented as a 217 km (135 miles) course starting at the Badwater Basin, in Death Valley, and ending at an elevation of 2548 m at Whitney Portal, the staging ground to Mount Whitney.
Race Details
The annual event usually takes place in mid-July, when the weather conditions are most unbearable, with temperatures reaching 129°F or 54°C. That's why only highly trained people are capable of finishing this draining race. The runners have 48 hours to complete the course. They don't get any support along the way and must assemble their own support crew and arrange a vehicle with water, food, and other necessities.
The Course
The Ultramarathon course covers three mountain ranges with about 14,600 feet (4450m) of cumulative vertical ascent and 6,100 feet (1859m) of cumulative descent. The start of the race in Badwater Basin boasts the lowest elevation in North America at 282 feet (85.5 m) below sea level. While Mt. Whitney is the highest point in in central North America. After Badwater Basin, the route goes to Furnace Creek, Stovepipe Wells, Panamint Springs, Salt Creek, Darwin, Keeler, Lone Pine, and Alabama Hills, finishing at Whitney Portal. The winners often finish the race in less than 24 hours.
How to Take Part
You can participate in the ultramarathon by invitation only. About 100 people get invited each year, and about half of them are Badwater veterans. To qualify a runner must present an application with an impressive racing history. This "runner's resume" has to show that an applicant officially completed at least three running races of 100 miles or more. Applicants who participated in especially challenging races, like Badwater Salton Sea Ultramarathon, Brazil 135+, or Keys 100, get a preference. Runners also have to demonstrate their appreciation of the race and commitment to sportsmanship,
Race History
The hike between Badwater and Mount Whitney was first completed in 1969 by Jim Burnworth and Stan Rodefer from San Diego. In 1977, Al Arnold was the first to run an ultramarathon, which has become arguably the toughest race on the planet. It took him 84 hours to get to the summit of Mt. Whitney after the start at Badwater. In 1987, the route became an official footrace. First, it was called Badwater 146 because the finish was at Mt. Whitney Summit. However, in 1989, the course was reduced to 135 miles since it was hard to get permits for the last 11 miles, located on the national forest land. The race is operated by AdventureCORPS®, which was founded in 1984 by Chris Kostman.
