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Australia’s Phil Gore recently set a new world record at the 2023 Dead
Cow Gully Backyard Masters Ultramarathon by running a whopping 425 miles
(685 kilometers) in four days.
The Dead Cow Gully Backyard Masters is billed as a ‘race with no finish
line’ by its organizers, and that makes sense because the format
requires runners to complete a loop of 6.7km every hour and the race
continues until only one runner remains. This year’s event was held on a
farm in Nanango, 112 miles northwest of Brisbane, Australia. The
endurance race began at 7 am on Saturday, June 17th, and ended four and
a half days later, when there was only one person still running,
Australian Phil Gore. After running the 6.7-km lap no less than 102
times, he was finally declared the winner.
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“It’s surreal,” Gore told ABC.net.au. “I remember when one of the
Belgians had the record at 75 [in 2020], I put that on my plan as a
stretch goal, not ever thinking I’d get there. “For me, running is a
part of life, I even run to-and-from work.”
Interestingly, the previous world record was 101 laps, set by Belgian
runners Merijn Geerts and Ivo Steyaert last October, so as impressive as
Gore’s performance this year might seem, one has to wonder how long the
record will last.
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Runner-up Sam Harvey from New Zealand managed to tie the previous world
record with 101 laps, and Harvey Lewis of the U.S. came in third with 90
laps. All three managed to set national records.
Interestingly, temperatures throughout the four and a half days of
running fluctuated from -2 degrees Celsius during the night to 22
degrees on sunny days, which made the event even harder. The winner said
he prepared for the temperature difference by taking cold showers for
two months before the ultramarathon.
For more grueling ultramarathon, check out The Speed Project, and
Highland Kings, the world’s first premium ultramarathon.
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