A 24-hour run is a form of ultramarathon, in which a competitor runs as far as they can in 24 hours. They are typically held on 1- to 2-mile loops or occasionally 400-meter tracks.
Contents
Top runners will often run 200 kilometres (124 mi) or more, depending on conditions, and the best can go beyond 270 kilometres (168 mi). Some participants will have a crew to help them, but others just set up a camp with all the gear and supplies they need near the starting area to access each loop. Often 24-hour events are combined with 6-, 12-, and 48-hour events. 24-hour runs have also been held in relay formats, with runners completing a mile each in succession for 24 hours. Often these events are not internationally sanctioned, and are more for charitable purposes. [1]
The world records for the event on all surfaces are 278.622 kilometers (173.127 miles) for women, set by Sarah Webster of Great Britain in 2025, [2] and 319.614 km (198.598 miles) for men, set by Aleksandr Sorokin of Lithuania in 2022. [3]
