The stage is set. At 21:30 local time (15:30 Paris, 14:30 Lonon and 09:30 New York) tonight, Friday October 3rd, the Ultra Gobi 400km begins. Fifty-seven runners from around the world are gathered at the edge of the desert, ready to take on one of the toughest ultramarathons on earth.
All week, the athletes have been arriving in Dunhuang, the ancient Silk Road outpost. They’ve had time to rest, recover, and shake off the fatigue of long-haul travel.
The night market, an awesome experienceThe night market famous for food.
Dunhuang offering traditional cuisine, the famous night market and an opportunity to stock up any last-min equipment, food and yes, maybe even souvenirs.
UTMBKat_25
Then came the transfer to Gobi Spring, where final briefings and pre-race checks brought the reality of the challenge into sharp focus. For the participants, a night of ‘glamping’ before days and nights of deprived sleep and comfort.
Glamping in the Gobi
Mandatory gear signed off, maps studied, last meals eaten. From here, there’s no more preparation – only the race itself.
Race briefing
And this is no ordinary race.
Tradition is very important at Ultra Gobi
The Ultra Gobi 400km is a test of survival as much as speed. Runners must cover 400 kilometers of brutal, shifting terrain – endless sand, rocky basins, dry riverbeds, and wind-swept plains.
Mountains and altitude will be waiting
Days can scorch under an unrelenting sun; nights can plunge into freezing cold. Navigation, strategy, and mental resilience will be as important as strong legs and lungs.
Golden light
For the competitors, the anticipation has built to a fever pitch. Months of training and sacrifice come down to this moment. There will be tension at the start line, but also a sense of awe: they’ll leave the comfort of light and noise behind and step into the vast silence of the desert.
One strategy, teamwork!
Four hundred kilometers through landscapes that constantly shift and change. A true test of endurance, grit and self-reliance. There is one truth of the Ultra Gobi, each runner will discover where the limits truly lie.
Varied landscape
This race doesn’t hand out easy victories. It carves stories into those who dare to take it on. Some will break; some will endure; a few will cross the finish line forever changed.
Tonight, the desert opens its gates. The Ultra Gobi 400km 2025 begins.
MDS 120 Fuerteventura returns in September 2025, not ‘just’ another race on the calendar, but an important marker in the history of the MDS 120 format. A collision of raw endurance and wild beauty, where athletes trade comfort for grit, and discover just how far their bodies and minds can be pushed. Set against the sunburnt backdrop of the Canary Islands, the race is part expedition, part survival trial, and part celebration of human resilience. A race for all with 3 distance options available, 70, 100 and 120km’s.
What Is the MDS Fuerteventura?
MDS 120 Fuerteventura is the younger sibling of MDS The Legendary, the original multi-stage ultramarathon across the Sahara Desert in Morocco. Like its parent race, the Fuerteventura edition demands that competitors carry their own supplies while covering gaily distances under variable conditions.
The format is simple but brutal: three stages spread across four days with desert, volcanic ridges, and coastline to endure. Each participant must carry their own food, sleeping kit, and survival essentials, relying only on the organization for water, medical support and a tent. Each stage offers a different flavor of challenge, from long, flat stretches where heat and monotony test mental strength, to rugged climbs that punish the legs and lungs in equal measure.
This self-sufficiency format transforms the MDS 120 Fuerteventura from a simple race into an expedition where every choice is an important aspect – how much food to pack? which shoes to wear? when to push and when to conserve energy? – each decision carries a consequences that can make or break the experience.
Participants spend 3 nights at the MDS bivouac and enjoy 4 nights at the Playitas Resort hotel, offering numerous facilities (two nights before, two nights after).
Participants choose between 3 different distances: 70, 100 or 120km, divided into 3 stages, over 4-days. This includes 1 full day of rest.
Here is the breakdown:
Stage 1: around 25 to 30km
Stage 2: around 20, 40 or 60km
Stage 3: around 25 to 30km
The Experience: More Than a Race
Fuerteventura is often described as the most “African” of the Canaries, its landscape shaped by ancient volcanic eruptions, relentless winds, and a climate closer to desert than Mediterranean. It’s the perfect environment for a stand-alone adventure, or an ideal preparastion ground for a further adventure in Morocco.
Beautiful yet brutal. Wide expanses of golden sand stretch for kilometers, interrupted by jagged lava fields and rocky ridgelines. The sun can beat down with unflinching intensity, but be warned, temperatures can swing wildly between scorching afternoons and cooler desert nights.
Coastal stages hug turquoise waters where waves crash against black cliffs. Inland routes weave through barren plains dotted with cactus and aloe, offering glimpses of a stark, unspoiled wilderness.
Ask anyone who has completed the MDS Fuerteventura, and they’ll tell you it’s not just about running. It’s about living in a stripped-down, elemental state for nearly a week. Each day begins with the ritual of packing up camp, stuffing sleeping bags and rations back into packs, ready for a day on the trails. By mid-morning, the desert heat has arrived, runners are strung out across the horizon like a line of ants marching into infinity. The rhythm of the race is simple: walk, run, eat, drink, rest. Repeat.
At night, exhaustion gives way to camaraderie. Competitors gather under the stars, swapping stories, sharing advice, and laughing about the day’s suffering. Bonds form quickly because everyone is in the same fight, battling the same heat, hunger, and fatigue. By the end of the week, the MDS 120 Fuerteventura community feels like family, one forged in adversity.
The finish line is more than a marker of distance. It’s a rite of passage. For many, crossing it means proving to themselves that they can endure more than they ever imagined. That’s why the MDS format is addictive: once you’ve lived through it, you carry its lessons into every part of life.
The Spirit of the Race
Beyond the logistics, numbers, and training plans, what makes the MDS 120 Fuerteventura extraordinary is its spirit. It’s about stripping life down to its essentials: water, food, movement, survival. In a world cluttered with convenience and noise, the race forces participants into clarity. You discover not only the limits of your body but also the surprising depths of your will.
Looking Ahead
MDS is not about beating others. It’s about discovering what you’re really made of. And for those lucky enough to be there in Fuerteventura, September 2025 will be a week they’ll never forget.
Marathon des Sables – information and race entry HERE
Since 1986, the Marathon des Sables – The Legendary (MDS) has carved its name into endurance racing history as one of the most gruelling, soul-stripping tests of human resilience. For 39 editions, it has pushed thousands to their physical and psychological limits under the crushing sun of the Moroccan Sahara.
In 2026, this legendary race will celebrate its 40th edition and it promises to be the most unforgettable one yet.
MDS The Legendary is six stages over roughly 250 km (155 miles), on blistering sand, across jagged jebels, and through soul-sapping salt plains. Runners carry everything they need for the week: food, sleeping equipment and clothes. The only luxury provided? A rationed daily water supply and a communal bivouac tent to crawl into at night which is shared with 7 other competitors.
Photo by Ian Corless
Every ounce carried matters. Bring too little and you starve. Bring too much and the weight drags you down. Success depends on ruthless efficiency and mental grit.
For four decades, the The Legendary has become a rite of passage for ultra runners, adventurers, and those seeking to rewrite their limits. It has seen amputees cross the line, cancer survivors, soldiers, CEOs and importantly, ordinary people doing extraordinary things. The terrain has remained the same: raw, relentless, and unforgiving.
Photo by Ian Corless
Despite the challenges, runner’s keep coming back, some for redemption, some for addiction, and all for the transformation.
The 40th Edition: What’s Coming in 2026
Photo by Ian Corless
The 40th MdS won’t just be another race, it will be a celebration of the madness. A tribute to every blistered foot, every tear shed under Saharan stars, every finisher’s medal earned in blood, sand, and sweat.
Photo by Ian Corless
The 40th will honour the legacy with style and fury.
Think You’ve Got What It Takes?
Entries for the 2026 edition open on June 11, 2025. Veteran or rookie, this is the year to go. Not just to run, but to become part of history.Become a Legend!
The iconic race of sea, to summit and back to the sea has returned to its roots and the people of La Palma. Few races, anywhere in the world, have the magic of Transvulcania.
It’s more than a race, it’s an experience that transcends running. A 360 journey of location, culture, emotion and a journey to the core of what makes the sport of trail and mountain running so special, a unified glory of experience.
From the early morning start at the Fuencaliente lighthouse, the pounding drums and guitar of AC/DC and the words, THUNDER, THUNDER, THUNDERSTRUCK…!
The blackness illuminated by the glow of 100’s of headlights and then the upward journey begins through a landscape that makes the most well travelled smile with joy at the magic the GR131 route brings.
Los Canarious offers an opportunity for refreshment before single-track of black sand and rock weaves through pine trees and the eventual magnificence of the route of the volcanoes coinciding with the first light of a new day. A glimpse to the right, the sky a mixture of orange and blue, Tenerife and Teide visible and suddenly you feel like a plane, floating above the clouds in what many considering a life-changing moment.
The route winds and climbs down the spine of La Isla Bonita. From the highest point in the lower sections of the GR131 (1908m) in the Cumbre Vieja, the route drops to the micro-climate of El Pilar, one-third approximately of the route completed.
From here, cloud encapsulates the runner, some easy trails eventually give way to climbing, a myriad of single-track that weaves left and right and finally you break through the cloud to the most amazing views of Caldera de Taburiente National Park.
Reventon arrives, it’s one of the highlights of the route. With 40km’s covered, the GR131 is now above 2000m and ever so slowly the route creeps over the next 10km’s to the highest point at Roques de los Muchachos at 2403m, a rollercoaster ride of undulating and at times technical trails that offer a 360 panorama of this stunning island.
What goes up, eventually must come down and what follows is a 16km drop back to the ocean; a relentless knee, quad and mind blowing war of attrition that must be overcome. The iconic zig-zag descent provides an entrance to Tazacorte beach and the final aid station.
Beach gives way to canyon, canyon gives way to weaving paths through banana plantations before what seems like never-ending road before the glorious arrival in Los Llanos and the roar of the Palmero people.
This is La Palma.
This is Transvulcania.
This is La Palma
The 2024 Race
Men:
Dakota and Jeshrun
As expected, the early pace was fast and a core group of pre-race favourites dictated the pace with 2023 champion, Dakota Jones at the front. Behind, Jeshrun Small, Jon Albon, Tom Evans, Dmitry Mityaev, and more.
Jon Albon leading the chase group
As the km’s passed and the arrival of El Pilar came, Dakota suffered from the early pace and now, pre-race favourite, Jon Albon took over at the front with an inspired Jeshrun Small. Tom Evans, Thibaut Baronian and Dmitry Mityaev followed.
The elastic finally snapped and Jon made his move and opened a gap. It was on the final descent that Jeshrun relinquished second to his adidas Terrex team mates, Tom who had moved up from fifth and Dmitry who were now charging to the ocean in pursuit of The North Face athlete.
Jon arrived at Tazacorte and a course record looked possible. But as the climb to the finish came, the early pace and now heat was taking its toll. Jon was having to dig deep and the behind, the Terrex duo were pushing each other, Dmitry looking stronger than Tom.
But Dmitry did not attack… Maybe he didn’t know the 4-minute gap to Jon at the beach was reducing with each stride?
Victory
Jon crossed the line, exhausted, the 2024 Transvulcania champion. Behind, less than 2-minutes later, the duo arrived, hand-in-hand.
There was no course record but it was darn close. One hell of a race.
Tom and Dmitry
At the finish line, Albon (7h.03:10) crossed first, followed by Dmitry Mytiaev (7h.05:16) and Tom Evans who entered together at de finish line (7h.05:17)
Women:
Ida a three times champion
Ruth Croft set the early pace and what a pace! For much of the day, it was a display of style, power and confidence. The performance only faltered at Roques de los Muchachos when a charging Ida Nilsson, three times Transvulcania champion, closed the gap to seconds.
Ruth – incredible
It gave Ruth the wake-up call to push hard to the line, and push she did, not only resulting in victory but a new course record. It was a stunning performance that only confirms that currently, along with Courtney Dauwalter, Ruth Croft is one of the most exciting and dominant trail runners in the world.
Champ and new CR
It was glory day for Ida Nilsson, a La Palma favourite who ran another stunning race to secure second.
As always happens, there was drama behind and it was Nepali, Sunmaya Budha who finished third looking very fresh… There is more to come from this strong woman!
Sunmaya
Ruth Croft (8h.02:49, record) won, Ida Nilsson (8h.16:32) finished second, and Sunmaya Budha (8h.20:31) closed the podium.
The Story:
As with all races, we have champions and we celebrate them. But the story of the 2024 Transvulcania is a return of the race to the island and people of La Palma.
“I didn’t have the day I wanted today,” said one runner. “But how can I be disappointed? It’s such a privilege to be on this island with these people enjoying what is one of the greatest races and places in the world.”
It was a sentiment that was echoed by many. There is something special here on this Canary Island.
I for one am already waiting for the 2025 countdown. This race should be a fixture for every dreaming trail runner and trust me, once experienced, one edition is not enough.
The boss, Luis Alberto Hernando, his last victory.
Finally, I give a special (personal) mention to a true inspiration of Transvulcania, the Maestro ‘Luis Alberto Hernando’, a three time champion of the race. He told me before the start, I am now 1-hour slower and I will be happy with top-20. He placed 12th after Thibaut Baronian acknowledging ‘The Boss’ on the line, bowing, and allowing the master to pass. What a moment.
John Storkamp, race director for the Superior 100 told all competitors at the pre race briefing, ‘Look around, because you may well not see everyone back at the finish. The Superior 100 is rough, rugged and relentless.’
A point-to-point race, the route traverses the ‘Sawtooth Mountain Range’ in northern Minnesota. Taking part on the Superior Hiking Trail (SHT), starting at Gooseberry Falls State Park and concluding in Lutsen, 100-miles later.
It’s a trail of immense diversity and one that is constantly shadowed at all times by the impressive and dominant Lake Superior. Terrain, as the Storkamp suggests, is relentless. With a low point of 183m and a high point of 558m, the race doesn’t get high, however, the repeated nature of the course (Sawtooth profile) offers no opportunity for recovery or rest. Add to the mix, brooks, mud, rocks, tree roots and a rollercoaster of small climbs; the Superior 100 is considered one of the toughest races in the USA. It’s reflected in the current course record of 21:02. Crossing the line in Lutsen is no easy task… Ask each and every finisher, in fact, you don’t need to ask, the gaunt and hollow expression on each and every face shows each mile and each minute and hour that has been undertaken to achieve the buckle!
Run in almost perfect weather conditions, Superior 100 2014 was an experience to embrace. Have you heard the term, ‘Minnesota Nice?’ (A stereotypical behaviour of Minnesota residents to be courteous, reserved, welcoming and mild-mannered) Well believe me, this Brit was submerged in it from registration, during the race and beyond.
‘It’s so awesome that you are here, thanks for coming!’ I can’t tell you how many times I heard this phrase during my incredible weekend. No matter at what point in the race, no matter how sleep deprived they were, each an every runner would go out of their way to express warmth. It’s humbling. Of course, it’s in the nature of the people but my host for the weekend, Kurt Decker assured me, ‘These folks are genuinely the salt of the earth, they mean every word but this weekend they have taken it up a notch.’
Imagine being on the trail in the middle of the night, a runner appears and we shout, ‘Looking good, keep it going, you are doing great!’ the runner stops, looks us in the eyes, grabs our respective hands and shakes them, ‘Thank you guys for being here and supporting, it’s really appreciated.’
Minnesota nice!
No matter how nice these folks are, racing did go down at the weekend and at the front end Kyle Pietari and Michael Borst dictated the early pace followed by Nathan Leehman, Adam Schwartz-Lowe, John Cameron and John Horns, the 2013 race winner.
Ultra running legend in these parts, Eric Clifton made his presence felt in the early stages but faded and eventually dropped.
Eric Clifton running early on in possibly the worst run tights… ever!
In the ladies, 2013 1st place winner and 2nd overall, April Cole looked set be a dominant force pushing consistently hard throughout, however, at the summit of Carlton Peak with just under 90-miles covered she complained of being cooked. To my surprise April dropped at Sawbill with just over 90-miles covered.
April at Bean and Bear
Adam Schwartz-Lowe had been the bridesmaid on 2-occasions at Superior, 2012 when Steve Moore set the 21:02:41 CR and 2011. After a sub-20 run at Western States earlier this year, Schwartz-Lowe wanted this win, however, Pietari and Borst had different ideas. At halfway, Wisconson runner Borst had pulled away and from Pietari who was paying for the early pace, so much so he would eventually drop. Running without a pacer, Schwarz-Lowe went in pursuit from the Finland aid (51.2) and as he ran past he aptly said, ‘I smell rabbit in front of me.’
The rabbit took some catching though! Running only his 2nd 100, Borst looked to have the race dialled after dnf’ing his 1st 100 at Zumbro earlier this year. Experience paid off though, at Sonju Lake Road the gap was 8-minutes, at Sugarloaf (72.3-miles) it was 5-minutes and then at Cramer Road (77.9-miles) it was 2-minutes. From here on in, the guys ran together for an hour until eventually Schwartz-Lowe pulled away gaining a 1-minute advantage at Temperance (85-miles) and 24-minutes at Sawbill (90.7-miles). The hay in the barn could be smelt and as the race progressed the gap tweaked open. At the final aid, Schwartz-Lowe didn’t hang around, a quick re-supply, a few questions on the location of the 2nd place runner and then he scooted off up the trail.
Adam at Oberg just over 7-miles to go
From here on in, Borst consolidated his 2nd place looking relaxed and happy, his pacer doing a great job to keep the motivation high. Leehman took a seat at Oberg and although the temptation to hang out and chill was tempting, he rejuvenated himself and pushed on for the final podium place after a welcome ‘Monster’ drink from 4th place runner, Cameron’s crew.
With April Cole out of the race, the ladies race became a war of attrition and I saw each lady as they climbed up and over Sawbill with 90.7 miles covered. Embracing the relentless nature of the race they pushed on through never failing to offer a smile and a thank you. Ultimately at the line, the gaps were quite wide with Mallory Richard taking the victory ahead of Frayah Bartuska and Johanna Ylanen.
Ladies winner, Mallory Richard
100-mile races are tough, no matter what the terrain is like. Here in Minnesota on the Superior Hiking Trail, John Storkamp and the Rock Steady Running crew have a gem. A gem of epic proportions… if you like your trail tough and gnarly and your people warm and welcoming, then Minnesota is for you!
IAN CORLESS 