Unique Running Races Around The World

You can choose from various national and international marathons and running races. However, for those who are bored of traditional races, we collected challenging and unique running races around the world. If you want to watch or enter these special competitions, check out our list below!

Empire State Building Run-Up

In New York, they organize the annual Empire State Building Run-Up competition, where professional and amateur runners can participate. This competition is the most famous tower race. The 44th competition took place last month, where the competitors had to race up 86 flights which means 1576 stairs. It is definitely the ultimate challenge!

The best runners usually complete the competition in ten minutes, which seems super fast! The entry fee is $2,500, and the winner gets to donate 100,000 dollars to a charity of their choice. 

Even though the Empire State Building Run-Up was the first tower running event, many other unique running races followed. For instance, the Stairclimbing World Championship in the United Arab Emirates. It’s an interesting fact that until now, there was only one person who ran up to the top in less than ten minutes on several occasions, holding the track record. Paul Crake won four times between 2000 and 2003, with times between 9:53 and 9:33, which is the record.

Unique running races – The Coldest Marathons

Many marathons from Greenland to Siberia could be called the coldest marathon, but the South Pole must be the most special location. The two freezing running races in the world will start again soon in Antarctica. On December 12, the world’s coldest 42-kilometer Ice Marathon and 100k ultra race.

The temperature is around -20 Celsius in general, but it could drop far below that. Also, the icy wind makes the competition even more challenging. 

Both 42 and 100k races start just a few hundred kilometers from the South Pole. The entire route is covered with ice and snow, and the sun does not set during this period. Last year, 17 people completed the 42-kilometer distance and two the 100k ultra race. They organize only these two running races in Antarctica every year, and only real running lovers dare to participate! You can check out the dates, entry fees, and other details at online sportsbook sites in Norway!

Icefjord Midnight Marathon

The midnight marathon under the sunlit night sky is one of the unique running races. The competition starts in the evening, but the sun does not set in this part of Greenland. At the northernmost marathon in the world, there are several distances to choose from, so everyone can find the perfect category.

According to online sportsbook sites in Norway, you can compete in or watch a similar marathon in Norway if Greenland is too far. While running, the participants can enjoy the Ilulissat Fjord, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. What an exceptional sight it must be!

Unique Running Races in Africa

Besides the most famous African running race, the Gig Five Marathon, where you can run among zebras and giraffes, you should know about a very special one. The Amazing Maasai Marathon is basically a charity running race, where the point is to have fun, raise awareness, and support the Maasai girls’ education. The entry fees go directly to a school foundation called the Amazing Maasai Girls Project. 

Also, running along one of Africa’s most exotic hiking trails with the Maasai community makes the run unforgettable. The Maasai even run the half-marathon distance with the participants, which must be a soul-lifting experience. Moreover, the girls whose high school studies the organizers cover with the entry fees often join as well. They encourage and cheer the runners on. This unique running race is recommended for the adventurous and those who want to help.

The Great Ethiopian Run

There is an annual running race in Addis Ababa in Ethiopia in November. The legendary Ethiopian runner Haile Gebrselassie came up with this idea after returning from the 2000 Summer Olympics. Not many races come close to the atmosphere of the Great Ethiopian Run.

Running is incredibly popular in the country, which is proved by the fact that the nation won every Olympic gold medal in athletic races. This special run also shows their passion for the sport. 

Competitors rarely enter because of the unusual distance and circumstances. In Ethiopia, it is a prestigious race for young runners. There is a lot of pushing and pulling, almost fighting, at the start. Although the route is only ten kilometers long, due to the alternating heights and hills, it’s a tough challenge only for the most determined runners.

However, the atmosphere is very unique because the whole country takes part in the marathon. Every high school, university, military school, and sports organization is there. It must be an uplifting feeling when the whole country is running!

Unique Running Races – Half M arathons

Polar Night Half Marathon takes place in northern Norway in the first week of January. The difficulty and also its uniqueness is that the competitors have to run in the darkness. Though, it is not pitch black because the runners have the northern lights to admire, which is on the bucket list of many people.

The route is also illuminated by a row of burning torches, so the atmosphere is incomparable! Don’t forget that you can place bets on these races at 22bet Sportsbook and check out the necessary information! 

The first Reykjavik Marathon was held in Iceland’s capital in 1984 with only 56 competitors. In 2018, more than 1300 runners registered for the 42-kilometer distance, while approximately 2000 people ran the half-marathon.

There are four available distances for every age group in the Islandic landscape with waterfalls, mossy fields, and snowy mountains. It’s as if they were in a fairytale! You can find more epic foot races in the world here!

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