Sign-Up for the Inaugural TransArabia Ultramarathon, Get a Discounted Entry into the TransPyrenea 895 Too!

Ultrarunners who had been hoping to take part in the 2015 TransPyrenea 895 race, but found themselves missing the cutoff for registration may just have a second chance to get in on the adventure. The race reached its 300 person cap weeks ago, leaving some of the top endurance athletes in the world on the outside looking in. But now, organizers of the TransPyrenea have announced that they will accept the next ten people who enter TransArabia ultramarathon as well, allowing them join the ranks of competitors at their event. And to sweeten the incentive even further, they're willing to provide a €500 (roughly $620) discount off the entry fee as well.

Organizers for these two great events have teamed up to give ultrarunners the ultimate challenge for 2015 – run a stunning course through the deserts of Jordan, and another through the breathtaking Pyrenees of France. The first of those races will take place starting on February 22, when runners will set off from the shores of the Dead Sea on a 300 km (186 mile) race that will take them through ancient villages, past the lost city of Petra, and into the very heart of Wadi Rum. Then, later in the year, they'll also take on the demanding 895 km (556 mile) TransPyrenea route that will test their legs with more than 52,000 meters (170,600 ft) of vertical gain in the Pyrenees. Both races promise to be incredibly demanding, pushing the competitors to their absolute physical limits.

 For someone who had been hoping to run the TransPyrenea but found themselves missing the entry cut-off, this is a bit of a reprieve. These ten entrants will get to race two of the most exciting ultra events on the calendar for 2015, with more to follow. The two race management teams also promise a big announcement that will be coming soon, with a sister race for the TransPyenea being announced for 2016. Those who race in both events in 2015 will be on the fast track for entrance to those races the following year as well.

If you were hoping to run a major ultra race next year, but just haven't gotten around to registering for one yet, this must might be the opportunity you've been looking for. But act fast, as these ten entries are likely to go quickly, particularly since they now involve not one, but two races, and a discount as well.

Good luck to all the runners in both of these amazing events.

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Badwater Ultramarathon Returning to Death Valley

One of the big stories from the ultrarunning world earlier this year was the news that the Badwater Ultramarathon had been barred from taking place in its traditional environment – Death Valley National Park. In an effort to increase safety throughout the park, a comprehensive review of all events taking place within Death Vally was conducted, which included a number of running and cycling competitions. While that review was taking place, the Badwater was forced to use an alternate route for the 2014 event, and for a time it looked like that route could become permanent. Last week however, it was announced that the race will return to its traditional route in 2015, with only a few minor changes to operations.

In August, a report on the findings for the safety review in Death Valley indicated that sporting events taking place in the month of July – when the Badwater traditionally is run – could be permanently banned. That's when the temperatures in the park are at their hottest, and conditions are most dangerous for those participating. At the time the report was released, the future of the ultramarathon continuing in Death Valley looked grim, and it seemed it wouldn't even be able to start in the small town from which is garnered its name.

But now it seems the Park Service has granted the Badwater a reprieve, and the event will take place more or less as usual. The 2015 edition of the race will be held July 28-30, with a route that begins in Badwater Basin, 86 meters (282 feet) below sea level, and ends at the Mt. Whitney Portals located at 2530 metes (8300 ft). Along the way, it covers some 217 km (135 miles) through one of the harshest, driest environments on the planet.

Race officials indicated that the Badwater would have a three-wave start, with runners setting off in the evening. They indicated that participants wouldn't notice any other significant changes to the event, although behind the scenes there has been more bureaucracy and expense taken on by the AdventureCORPS team that puts on the race. Other than that however, it is business as usual for the ultra-event.

It's good to see the Badwater return to its traditional home and route. The event was never in danger of going away, but for decades it has been run along the route from the basin to Mt. Whitney, and it is nice to see it able to continue along that path. I commend the National Park Service for taking safety seriously, but the AdventureCORPS team has been running this race for a long time, and they have proven time and again that they know what they are doing. Safety remains a chief concern of all involved, and will continue to do so as long as the Badwater continues to operate.

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Video: Running the UTMB with Anton Krupicka

A few weeks back, hundreds of runners lined up to take on the Ultra-Trail du Mont-Blanc, a grueling run around Mont Blanc that crosses through France, Italy, and Switzerland. It is widely considered to be amongst the toughest foot races in the world, and a true test for ultra-runners. The video below takes us through that amazing event with runner Anton (Tony) Krupicka, who is a member of the Buff Pro Team. The 5+ minute clip gives us some insights into the mind of these runners, while also sharing some fantastic images from the race itself.

Anton (Tony) Krupicka UTMB 2014 - BUFF® PRO TEAM from Víctor Rins on Vimeo.

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Badwater Ultramarathon Banned From Death Valley

Update: It has been pointed out to me that this ban is leveled at events that take place in Death Valley during July, and isn't for every event that takes place in the park. The text below has been updated to reflect this.

The Badwater Ultramarathon is one of the toughest races on the planet, thanks in no small part due to the fact that much of its 135 miles (217 km) length crosses through the desert in Death Valley National Park. For years, the race started in the town of Badwater and ended at the Mt. Whitney Portals, drawing some of the best endurance runners from around the world to compete. But now, the National Park Service has banned the event from taking place inside the park altogether, changing the very fabric of this iconic event.

The news of the ban came a few weeks back, creating disappointment within the ultra-running community, even if it wasn't necessarily a complete surprise. Earlier in the year, the Park Service instituted a temporary ban on events taking place within national parks in order to evaluate them for safety. That forced the 2014 Badwater Ultra to create a new route that didn't put race organizers and runners in conflict with the NPS. When this year's event took place back in July however, there was still hope that the ban would eventually be lifted. This new ruling – signed by Death Valley National Park Superintendent Kathy Billings – makes it permanent.

The primary reason for the ban is concerns about safety issues. Death Valley is one of the hottest locations on the planet, with temperatures in the summer routinely exceeding 110ºF/43.3ºC. Prolonged exposure to that kind of heat can put any visitor to the park in danger, let alone athletes attempting to cover more than 100 miles during the hottest time of the year. There also appeared to be some concerns that the Badwater would take part at night, when visibility was low and there were fewer park service staff members on duty to deal with potential issues. Responding to calls for assistance could be greatly delayed, raising the questions about overall safety even further.

It should be noted that this ban isn't just leveled agains the Badwater Ultra. Death Valley has hosted between 10 and 14 sporting events each year, and any of them scheduled to take place in July, when the heat is at its worst, will not be allowed to take place. Of those, the Badwater is probably the most well known, but others could be affected by this ruling too.

This year, the race started in Lone Pine, and followed the edge of Death Valley towards the regular route up Mt. Whitney. The new route added some further challenges with more climbs, but the spirit of the race remained the same. It is possible that this route will now become the one that is used moving forward. The race will likely continue to keep its name, even though it will no longer begin in Badwater as well.

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