My running bucket list (2021 edition)

Welcome back to another post on my blog! This week I want to discuss 9 races which are on my running bucket list. From the longest to the biggest, the oldest to the toughest, every single one of these races would be an incredible experience. It’s events such as these which I use for inspiration during training or difficult days.

South Downs Way 100

15 weeks to go!

This is the race that will be my 100 mile debut in June! Following the main trail across the South Downs National Park from Winchester to Eastbourne, the relentless hills mean you spend most of the race either climbing or descending, giving over 12000ft of elevation in total even though no individual summit is particularly high. Although this race is well respected in its own right, it also has special status for me as being local to where I grew up. I went on many walks and cycle rides across the South Downs in my childhood, so I can’t wait to be running there later this year!

London Marathon
The one race on my list that isn't an ultramarathon, even when I had no interest in running I’d usually watch the London marathon each year, and so now I am completing marathons I’d love to get the chance to experience that special atmosphere. So far I’ve been unsuccessful in the ballot twice, but I’ll keep entering each year, and there’s also the possibility of running fast enough to guarantee an entry – currently I’d need to run a marathon in under 3 hours which I should be capable of in a few years. The London Marathon is part of the World Marathon Majors series, which also includes New York, Boston, Chicago, Berlin and Tokyo, so once I’ve done London maybe I’ll have to complete the set.

Comrades
Taking place in South Africa, this is the one race on this list in the Southern hemisphere. Travelling 55 miles between the cities of Durban and Pietermaritzburg, what’s special about this race is the history. First held in 1921 to commemorate South African soldiers killed in World War 1, this is the world’s oldest ultramarathon and has similar status in South Africa to the London Marathon in the UK. To qualify you must simply have ran a marathon in under 4:50, but beware the strict 12 hour cutoff when the finish is simply closed, no matter how near you are to finishing!

Who wouldn't want the chance to run through
such beautiful landscapes??

Ultra-Trail du Mont-Blanc
Since first taking place in 2003, UTMB has quickly gained a status as the unofficial world championships of trailrunning. When I first started running I was already aware of the SDW100, and then I found out about UTMB and realised that ultramarathons were the discipline I wanted to target – an interesting decision when 2 miles was a challenge at that time!
As the name suggests, UTMB follows the Tour du Mont Blanc footpath around the mountain of Mont Blanc, covering roughly 105 miles through France, Italy and Switzerland with over 10,000 metres of elevation gain, almost triple the SDW100. Though perhaps the hardest aspect of the race is simply getting a place on the start line – due to it’s immense popularity you have to meet ever tightening qualification criteria, and even then go through a lottery that often takes several years! This is one which I’ll be working towards throughout the 2020s.

Dragon’s Back Race
I’ve only recently heard about this race when reading Running Up That Hill by Vassos Alexander. But any race that claims to be ‘the toughest mountain race in the world’ is worth further research, and I can see why that may be true. Traversing the spine of Wales from North to South, competitors cover 236 miles and climb double the height of Mt Everest across the 6 stages! Just looking at the videos of the scenery on the race website had this race on my bucket list. It should be pointed out this is a mountain race that requires a lot of technical skills compared to trail races, so I’d need a lot of specialist preparation for this, but I’m definitely inspired to start that learning soon!

The statue of Leonidas
is the traditional finish line

Spartathlon
This race covers 153 miles from Athens to Sparta, including a 4,000 ft mountain to climb in the middle of the night. This route is special as it replicates what the Ancient Greek messenger Pheidippides ran 2,500 years ago to alert the people of Sparta to an incoming Persian army. That’s the same Pheidippides who legend states collapsed dead a few days later when returning to Athens with news of the battle of Marathon, giving name to the distance ran by millions of runners each year. Not only does this race have incredibly high standards simply to qualify, but the cut-offs in the early stages are notoriously strict, forcing you to run faster than ideal at the beginning and therefore risking ‘blowing up’ long before the end. I love the idea of this race not only for the physical challenge but the way it respects the traditions and history of running, and will definitely set my sights on attempting to qualify in the future. 

Western States
Living in England, most of my list is naturally based in the UK and Western Europe. Western States is probably the most prestigious race in America, and the one most likely to encourage me to make the long trip over the Atlantic – all the way to California in fact! Like Spartathlon, this race is also a big part of ultrarunning history. It was the first 100 mile trail race held, and the first to establish the tradition of giving buckles as prizes instead of medals. It’s also very popular, with the ballot probably being tougher than the one for the London Marathon, so it’s likely to take a few years of trying!

Tooting 24 hour race
One of the elements of ultramarathons I love is the chance to run through fantastic scenery such as the French Alps or the Greek countryside. In contrast, this race is very simple – you complete as many laps of a 400m athletics track as possible within 24 hours. To some people that sounds like insanity, but I rather admire the simplicity of it! A timed race also adds the unique element of not having a known finish line at a certain mileage, so instead you have to keep finding the mental and physical strength to run for the full duration. And as a bonus, being held on a flat running track gives you the chance to run further than you would in 24 hours on hilly terrain, offering the chance of a higher mileage which can be important for qualification criteria of other events.

Sri-Chinmoy Self-Transcendence race

Round a school and a park... 5649 times!

If running round an athletics track for 24 hours wasn't monotonous enough, then there's this! This is the longest ultramarathon in the world, with runners having 52 days to run 3100 miles, meaning you have to average 59.6 miles per day! Traditionally the race is held in New York, with the course simply being 5649 laps of a single city block. To many people I realise that would sound incredibly boring, but at least you wouldn’t have to worry about navigation! And in my mind, if I’m going to run ultramarathons then why not try the most ultra of them all? 

Thank you for reading! If you’re a runner, what events do you dream of doing, whether they’re ultramarathons or something shorter?
To see my progress towards my bucket list, starting with the SDW100 this year, follow me on Instagram @andrewsultrablog or on Strava: https://www.strava.com/athletes/5373701