Ultra Fiord
Patagonia, Chile • Date: TBC (usually held in February) • Entry cost: TBC • ultrafiord.com
If you made a measuring stick for race toughness, you’d whittle it out of the dark woods at the end of the world where Ultra Fiord is held. This race leads competitors through Patagonian puma territory, then up onto a glacier’s crevasse field, where rockfall and avalanches regularly rearrange the race course. Some of the world’s best ultra runners have been emotionally broken by this race and unable to finish. In 2016, a competitor tragically froze to death on a windy and very exposed mountain section.
With huge winds whipping up in just minutes, and sunshine suddenly breaking through the heaviest snowstorms, you’ll come to understand the saying that to travel in Patagonia is to experience all fours seasons in just one day. Before starting, take a huge pinch of salt from the Patagonian Fiords you’ll be running along. You’ll need it to season any expectations about finishing. RACE STATS Distance: 34mi Elevation: 11,811ft Course record: New course for 2023