Half Corked Marathon via Facebook
Every adventure-seeking athlete should check out these next-level races from Savoteur.
Whether you like to go hard or prefer a slow and steady pace when it comes to marathons (and bike rides and ultramarathons), one of these five unusual races around the globe is sure to have you lacing up your shoes.
1. Half-Corked Marathon, Canada
May 27-29
Instead of downing liters of H2O, parched runners at the Half-Corked Marathon can be found sipping on an entirely different type of beverage: wine, and plenty of it. Hosted in Western Canada’s wine country, Half-Corked is an 18-kilometer route that leads participants to stops at 38 wineries in the Oliver Osoyoos region. At each one, vino is served to the thirsty travelers alongside nibbles prepared by celebrated local chefs. With one of the most relaxed vibes of any race we’ve ever seen, this run clearly caters to the oenophile over the rugged athlete.
2. Simpson Desert Bike Challenge, Australia
Simpson Desert Bike Challenge via Facebook
September 27-October 1
As if a grueling ultra-cycling race weren’t difficult enough on its own, how about adding scorching heat and desert-like conditions to the mix? If this sounds like your type of thing, then you’ll want to head Down Under for the Simpson Desert Bike Challenge. Only the toughest riders will be able to survive this five-day race, which crisscrosses close to 700 sand dunes. Getting across the dunes on a bike adds another layer of difficulty to this already challenging race, but with its salt lakes and gibber rock plains, the desert’s striking scenery more than makes up for it.
3. Yak Attack, Nepal
November 5-15
You’ve gotta be one tough mother to even think about taking part in Nepal’s Yak Attack, the highest mountain-bike race on earth. With climbs reaching 12,000 meters in altitude, much of the 500-kilometer route through the Himalayas is so far above sea level that the oxygen levels hover at 50 percent—or lower. Riders can expect conditions to fluctuate between humid 85° F temperatures on the ground to below zero at the mountaintop as they traverse snow, ice, and the lunar landscape of the “Forbidden Kingdom” region where this year’s race will occur.
4. The Last Desert, Antarctica
The Last Desert via Facebook
November 18-29
While all the races that make up the Four Desert Marathon Series involve treks through incredible landscapes (like the Sahara and the Gobi), the Last Desert race outdoes them all. In a nutshell, it’s a seven-day self-supported race across the rugged terrain of Antarctica. Yes, we are indeed referring to that Antarctica. And while visiting the continent at the bottom of the globe is clearly enough to earn you serious bragging rights, the weeklong sojourn also gives you the opportunity to explore this untouched wilderness. Journey over white mountains and black beaches as you catch glimpses of wildlife found nowhere else on the planet. In a word: epic.
5. Yukon Arctic Ultra, Canada
February 5-18, 2017
Every year since 2003, a group of ultramarathoners decide to torture—er, challenge themselves by heading to Canada’s Great White North for the Yukon Arctic Ultra. Participants navigate the backcountry on foot, skis, or a bike in this nonstop multi-day race that covers hundreds of kilometers of frozen tundra along the Yukon Quest sled dog trail. During a race in which temperatures plummet to more than -50° F (plus wind chill), the usual worries about dehydration and fatigue give way to serious concerns about frostbite and hypothermia. It’s no wonder this race is billed as the toughest ultramarathon the world over.
Originally written by Serena Matter, Savoteur
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