Explore a guide to the most challenging marathons in the world, including races up Mount Everest Marathon, Mount Kilimanjaro, and the Inca Trail.

There are over 800 annual marathons, but only seven deemed World Marathon Majors

The races—Tokyo, Boston, London, Berlin, Chicago, Sydney, and New York City—are on some of the best-known courses in the world and are run by some of the sport’s top athletes.

An interactive trek up Mount Everest

At just over 29,000 feet, Mount Everest is the highest summit on Earth and the premiere destination for serious climbers. The imposing peak has also claimed at least 322 lives over the past century, or between four and five victims per year. This...

The 'Seven Summits' is a challenge that features the highest peak on every continent, including Mount Everest.

Inca trail interactive map

Machu Picchu gets all the attention, but it’s definitely not the only Inca ruin in the area. Some dedicated trekkers opt to see the sites through a multi-day hike down the Inca Trail, which spans 26 miles from the Sacred Valley to Machu Picchu and reaches elevations as high as 13,800 feet above sea level. This 3D tour gives a sneak-preview of the ruins along the route, and the intense topography.

Watch Kipchoge break 2 hours in the marathon

The feat was once considered impossible, but one of the world's greatest marathoners got to work (with the help of a team of scientists and some of the world's most elite distance runners) to break that boundary in Vienna in 2019. The final stretch of the run is an emotional moment for Kipchoge, who doesn't even appear to be winded.

The marathon is only getting more popular

The marathon has become a part of popular culture, with races in nearly every major city. The largest is the New York City Marathon, which started in 1970. Over 55,000 runners participated in the 2024 race. Its popularity doesn’t appear to be slowing, with younger generations increasingly lacing up their shoes for the race of a lifetime.

An ‘ultramarathon’ is any race longer than a marathon

The event is a catchall for any event longer than a marathon, with some races hundreds of miles long. Despite the inherent risks, including death, the sport has exploded in recent years.

Sabastian Sawe holds the world record for the marathon

Kenya's Sabastian Sawe won the 2026 London Marathon with a time of 1:59:30. In the same race, Ethiopia's Yomif Kejelcha ran 1:59:41. The two men were the first (and, to date, the only) runners to officially break the two-hour mark.

Ultrarunning has grown exponentially in the 21st century

Ultrarunning, generally defined as races 50k and longer, has exploded in the past few decades. In 2000, there were 89 official races; in 2023, there were nearly 760. That's a 753% increase.

A deep dive into the lives of Guinness World Record addicts

Most people don't hold any world records. Then, there's this group of adventurers, who are racing to own the most. A look at the ambitious world record pursuers racking up hundreds of accomplishments.

Why marathons are 26.2 miles (not 26)

Over 1,100 marathons are run every year, and they all share one oddly specific distance: 26.2 miles. From ancient Greece to a British queen's request, here's the surprising story behind the marathon's decimal.

Mount Everest may be considered the tallest mountain on Earth, but the summit of Ecuador's Mount Chimborazo is more than a mile further away from Earth's center than the top of Everest.

Ranking the 10 hottest places on Earth

Death Valley in California often gets the press for the hottest recorded air temperature in the world. What about the runners-up? This list compiles the rest of the Earth's hottest spots, from Jeddah in Saudi Arabia to Kebili in Tunisia.

One ethnic minority in Kenya, called the Kalenjins, is responsible for 73% of the country's Olympic gold medals in running.

The oldest marathoner was 100

Fauja Singh was 100 when he completed the Toronto Waterfront Marathon in 2011 at 8:11:06. Incredibly Singh didn't start running until the age of 89.

The marathon was not an event in the ancient form of the Olympics

The ancient Olympics started with just one footrace, a roughly 3-mile jaunt dubbed the "dolichos." Over the centuries, it blossomed into multiple running events, field events, combat sports, and equestrian events—all performed in the nude. This list showcases eight more lesser-known facts about the ancient Games.

How endurance athletes can build resilience

Long-distance runners and other endurance athletes can improve their performances using tips explored in this article. Findings from two recent studies show that strength training, high-altitude training, and intense interval sessions are all potential methods for ameliorating long-term athletic capabilities.

The 1904 Olympic marathon was a bizarre spectacle

When the Olympics first came to the US, the race was still a fringe event with few established rules. That led to an absurd comedy, with competitors ingesting poison, hitchhiking 11 miles of the course, and occasionally sipping brandy.

Runners typically burn 2,600 calories during a marathon

They also burn between 5-10 pounds of water weight, often feel more focused and elated (thanks to increased neurotransmitters), and, oddly enough, temporarily grow about a half-inch shorter due to back muscles tensing.

The Adidas shoes that helped break the marathon's 2-hour barrier

Two men broke the two-hour mark at the 2026 London Marathon, a feat previously unofficially achieved only by Eliud Kipchoge, thanks to a number of aides not permitted in an official race. Both men who broke the two-hour barrier in London wore the same shoe, the Adizero Adios Pro Evo 3, a new model that weighs just over three ounces.

20 of the world's most iconic big rock wall climbs

Big wall climbs are tall rock faces that require climbers to "pitch" multiple times during the ascent—that is, reuse a rope. They also often portaledge, or sleep, at least once during the climb. Topping the list is California's El Capitan.

Gen Z is increasingly interested in running marathons

The race has become a popular event for young people. Over 12,000 20-somethings signed up for the New York Marathon in 2024. That's a significant increase from 2023 (9.987) and 2022 (8,039).

Why one runner believes Stoic philosophy is important for marathoners

There's plenty of time for thinking while training for a marathon, and Matt Fitzgerald suggests it'd be wise to study the Stoic philosophers to navigate the many frustrations that come with that training. Fitzgerald may be talking about running, but his advice can apply to any seemingly impossible goal.

Into the Mariana Trench

Located in the western Pacific Ocean, the Mariana Trench is the deepest known point on Earth. Its lowest point, known as Challenger Deep, is farther down than the height of Mount Everest by more than a mile. This 13-minute video discusses how the trench was formed, and the extreme conditions at the sea floor.

A virtual reality experience of Machu Picchu

If you can’t make it to the Andes, this virtual-reality experience—created using 360-degree cameras, and 3D modeling and sound design—is the next best thing. It lets you explore all the site’s major landmarks, including the Sun Temple and the Temple of the Condor, while listening to the sound of the wind whipping through the ruins, birdsong, and audio commentaries from expert guides.

The beer mile blends running and drinking

The event requires competitors to drink a 12-ounce beer for every lap around the track. It may sound like fun (or a nightmare, depending on your disposition), but for some it's a serious business, with an annual world championship.

The unsolved mysteries of Machu Picchu

Who lived there? How did they get all that granite up there? Who were the 100 bodies found buried here, and why did some of them have elongated heads? Explore eight of Machu Picchu’s unanswered questions while scrolling through panoramic, clickable street-view images of the site, in this guide from Google Arts and Culture.

The marathon’s roots can be traced back to a Greek myth

Legend has it that the first marathon took place in 490 BCE, when Pheidippides, an ancient Greek soldier, ran from the Battle of Marathon back to Athens—approximately 25 miles—to inform his people they’d defeated the Persians. The story is likely apocryphal: No Greek historian mentioned it until over 500 years later.

The cuisine of the Mount Everest base camps

Depending on their budget, Mount Everest climbers are either eating canned meats and hearty vegetables or a more elaborate menu with additions like protein powder and chia seeds. Fresh food flies to the base camp every day by helicopter.

Chris Nikic is the first person with Down syndrome to complete several marathons

In March 2024, Chris Nikic finished the Tokyo Marathon in 5:39:41. That was the final step towards his ultimate goal of earning the Abbott World Marathon Majors Six Star Finisher distinction. It recognizes runners who have finished Tokyo, Boston, London, Berlin, Chicago and New York.

The first modern marathon was at the 1896 Olympic Games

The modern marathon was created for the revived Olympic Games in 1896, with the course starting in Marathon and ending in Athens. The race was won by Spiridon Louis, a Greek water carrier who surged in the last stretch to the delight of the hometown crowd.

The most unique-smelling places on Earth

Have you ever picked a travel destination by smell? This Atlas Obscura piece cultivates a list of the most distinct-smelling spots in the world. Learn about these obscure scents to potentially book a trip to a spring that smells like rotten eggs, or a desert valley filled with frankincense trees.

Some Nike shoes are actually making runners too fast

In 2018, Kenyan runner Eliud Kipchoge lowered the world marathon record to 2:01:39 in a pair of Nike Vaporflys. The unusually thick running shoes sparked controversy around the shoe regulations for professional runners.

America's best mountain towns

Thrillist compiled a list of the most well-rounded mountain towns in the US, from ski-friendly Park City, Utah, to austere desert hotspot Taos, New Mexico. Peruse this list for you next mountain adventure.

'When you're climbing Mount Everest, nothing is easy. You just take one step at a time, never look back and always keep your eyes glued to the top.'

- Author Jacqueline Susann (1918-1974)

Ski mountaineering—or 'skimo'—debuted at the 2026 Winter Olympics

The sport involves skiing both uphill and downhill, with sections where the skis are strapped to the athlete's back. Skiers start at the bottom with a carpet-like layer on their skis to help ascend, remove them for the final climb, and then step back into normal skis for a slalom-like descent.

Microplastic pollution extends from Earth’s deepest oceans to its highest peak

Researchers have found microplastic particles in snow samples taken from near the summit of Mount Everest. Microplastics have also been detected in the Mariana Trench, highlighting the widespread nature of this pollutant.