Fitness Training
7 Deceptively Difficult Running Races
Red Bull 400 kicks off this weekend in three cities worldwide. Could you sprint straight uphill for a quarter mile? Read on for a list of uniquely challenging running races.
When it comes to endurance challenges and races, there are many to choose from that will test speed, skill and ability to wade through mud and muck (or jump through fire). But even the fittest competitor will struggle when taking on the Red Bull 400, which kicks off this weekend in three different cities: Lahti, Finland; Copper Peak, Michigan; and Sapporo, Japan.
Even though it's just a quarter mile, The Red Bull 400 race is a hard sprint straight up a ski lift. This seemingly short distance race will feel like the longest run of your life. For more motivation and if you want something to train for, here are a few other deceptively difficult running races to grit your teeth through.
1. The Red Bull 400
An unparalleled endurance event in Europe and North America, the 400's title refers to meters, not miles. The tricky thing is, it’s all uphill. Enter and you’ll sprint up a grass-covered ski slope, some with ropes to help you along the way. Trust us, the higher you go, the harder it gets. This year's World Championships will be held for a second time in August, at Bischofshofen, in Austria. Find out more here.
2. The Krispy Kreme Challenge
Based in Raleigh, North Carolina, this 5-mile run is actually bonkers. The reason? Well, after 2.5 miles you'll have to force down a dozen donuts as quickly as possible before sprinting another 2.5 miles back to the start line. The only run that will make you put on weight. Just try not to throw up.
3. The Jurassic Trail Run
Taking place every year on the same day as the London Marathon, and offering 5K, 10K and 21K routes, this jaunt along the Dorset coast sounds like a relatively easy option. No crowds, no celebrities and no one dressed up like a giant fish. Instead, you’ll take in stunning sea views as you race along a cliffside path. The only trouble is, even the 5K is riddled with punishing undulations, taking you up, down and over some of the roughest terrain around. No wonder the dinosaurs didn’t last around there.
4. Race The Train
Fourteen miles is a difficult run, but not impossible. And for anyone with a few half marathons under their belt, it’s definitely doable. The problem is, this time around you’re racing an actual steam train. Beginning in the Cardigan Coast in mid Wales, you’ll go hell for leather against the finest invention of the industrial age. Not only will you be on your feet the whole time, it’s unlikely there’ll be anyone coming round with a drinks trolley, either.
5. The Self-Transcendence 3,100-Mile Race
OK, so a multi-day, 3,100-mile race sounds like the opposite of a walk in the park, but there’s something unique about this event: the entire thing takes place around one city block in Queens, New York. And while running around a single block sounds simple, doing it 5649 times in one race may be a bit much. We give it 10 laps before boredom sets in. Which should set you up nicely for the remaining 5639 laps...
An unparalleled endurance event in Europe and North America, the 400's title refers to metres, not miles. The tricky thing is, it’s all uphill. Enter and you’ll sprint up a grass-covered ski slope, some with ropes to help you along the way. Trust us, the higher you go, the harder it gets. This year's World Championships will be held for a second time in August, at Bischofshofen, in Austria. Find out more here.
6. The Welsh 1,000m Peaks Race
Starting at the seaside village of Abergwyngregyn, this short, 21-mile race finishes at the top of mount Snowdon. Sounds tough, right? But with the right training, for the experienced runner it should be doable. Oh, did we mention that you’ll climb four more of Wales’ 1,000m-high peaks along the way? Good luck with that.
7. Kielder marathon, half marathon and 10K
The organizers tout this as the “most beautiful marathon in Britain” and, taking in Kielder Water in Northumberland, they might be right. If you’re tackling the full marathon, you’ll run around the country’s largest man-made lake, while shorter races take you partway round. Whatever distance you’re going for, forget about a new PB — the track is off-road and very hilly. So, good luck.
