100k & 24-Hour Ultra Distance Races
There will be two ultra distance races during the Championships; a 100k road race and a 24-hour race.
The Commonwealth has a long tradition of ultra distance running, defined as distances beyond the marathon distance of 42.2 km.
In 1921 the first Comrades Marathon, over 90 kilometers, was held in South Africa to commemorate World War 1. This became one of the world’s longest ultra distance races with thousands of competitors.
During the apartheid era this marathon was notable for being one of the few events where people participated regardless of colour.
In 1953 a London-Brighton race was established, however it was only with the marathon boom in the 1980’s that ultra-distance running really expanded internationally.
The sport is now governed by the International Association of Ultra Runners (IAU), which currently includes dozens of national federations worldwide.
100K Road Race
- Date: Saturday 19 September
- Start Location: Fitz Park, Keswick
- Race Start Time: 8:00am
- Expected Finish: Around 6.5 Hours
Course Details
The route follows a steep climb out of Keswick before turning south through St John’s in the Vale to Thirlmere.
Competitors then complete six laps of Thirlmere via the back road before returning through St John’s in the Vale to finish at Fitz Park.
