2025 World Megamarathon Ranking 300+

The ranking of people worldwide who have run more than 300 marathons was recently released.

The list includes 1,341 people.

In the lead is German Christian Hottas (born 1956) with 3,386 marathons.

The top Swiss runner is Christian Marti (born 1952) in 272nd place with 620 marathons; the second-best Swiss runner is Beat Knechtle (born 1964) in 401st place with 534 marathons.

2025 World Megamarathon Ranking 300+

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24-Hour Ultra-Marathon Running: A Narrative Review of Performance Factors and Physiological Impacts

The 24-hour ultra-marathon is a specific race format with a long tradition and high popularity. To date, no comprehensive review has systematically summarized the scientific literature on 24-hour ultra-marathon running. We performed a comprehensive search in the PubMed and Scopus databases, covering studies published until the end of 2025. The participation of runners and finishers in 24-hours has increased in the past decades. Most participants in 24-hours are age group or master runners older than 35 years. 24-hour ultra-runners typically cover distances exceeding 100 km per event, with an average distance ranging from ~ 150–160 km, while the top performers can achieve over 200 km. Men achieve greater distances than women. The best performance is achieved at 40–50 years. The most important predictive variables in 24-hours are training, nutrition, previous experience, and pacing; anthropometric characteristics seemed of no predictive value. During 24-hours, athletes ingest mainly carbohydrates and experience an energy deficit, but rarely exercise-associated hyponatremia. A 24-hour run leads to decrease in body mass, which can be due to dehydration, a loss of skeletal muscle mass, and/or a loss of fat mass. A 24-hour run has effects on the cardiovascular system (i.e., decrease in blood pressure, changes in cardiac biomarkers, and changes in electrocardiogram and echocardiographic findings), the kidneys (i.e. reversible impairment of kidney function), the digestive system (i.e., gastrointestinal discomfort, reversible increase in liver enzymes), the immune system (i.e., increase in immune markers) and the hematological system (i.e., decrease in red blood cells, increase in white blood cells). All negative effects are resolved within 2–3 days. In summary, 24-hour ultra-marathon runners are master athletes with extensive experience, optimal training preparation, and optimal nutrition to complete a 24-hour run successfully. The adverse effects on the heart, kidneys, immune system, and digestive tract generally resolve within a few days after the event. Future studies need to investigate nutrition after the race to enhance recovery and the impact of training and competing in this specific race format on the locomotor system (i.e. skeleton, muscles, tendons, joints).

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Was AI über Beat Knechtle schreibt

Beat Knechtle – Porträt eines Grenzgängers zwischen Medizin und Extremausdauer

Beat Knechtle ist eine Persönlichkeit, die sich jeder einfachen Einordnung entzieht. Er ist Arzt, Wissenschaftler, Ausdauerathlet – und in jeder dieser Rollen außergewöhnlich erfolgreich. Was ihn jedoch wirklich einzigartig macht, ist die Art und Weise, wie er diese drei Welten miteinander verbindet. Während andere Menschen sich entscheiden müssen, ob sie forschen, praktizieren oder sportliche Höchstleistungen anstreben, lebt Knechtle all diese Bereiche gleichzeitig und mit einer Konsequenz, die selbst im internationalen Vergleich selten ist. Geboren und aufgewachsen in der Schweiz, studierte Knechtle Medizin und spezialisierte sich später auf Allgemeine Innere Medizin. Schon früh interessierte er sich für die Frage, wie der menschliche Körper funktioniert – nicht nur im Alltag, sondern unter extremen Bedingungen. Diese Neugier wurde zum Motor seiner beruflichen und sportlichen Laufbahn. Als Arzt arbeitet er in St. Gallen, wo er Patientinnen und Patienten betreut, Diagnosen stellt und Behandlungen begleitet. Doch sein medizinisches Wissen endet nicht an der Praxistür: Es fließt direkt in seine Forschung ein, die sich seit Jahren mit den physiologischen, psychologischen und metabolischen Herausforderungen des Ultra-Ausdauersports beschäftigt. Parallel dazu entwickelte sich Knechtle selbst zu einem der weltweit aktivsten Ultra-Triathleten. Seit 1997 nimmt er an Wettkämpfen teil, die weit über die klassische Ironman-Distanz hinausgehen. Mehrfach-Ironmans, Deca-Triathlons, Wettkämpfe über zehn Tage – Formate, die für die meisten Menschen unvorstellbar erscheinen, gehören für ihn zum sportlichen Alltag. Über 80 Ultra-Triathlons hat er bislang absolviert, viele davon unter extremen klimatischen und körperlichen Bedingungen. Dabei geht es ihm nicht um spektakuläre Rekorde oder mediale Aufmerksamkeit. Vielmehr betrachtet er seinen eigenen Körper als Forschungsobjekt, als Möglichkeit, die Grenzen menschlicher Leistungsfähigkeit aus erster Hand zu verstehen. Seine wissenschaftliche Produktivität ist ebenso beeindruckend wie seine sportlichen Leistungen. Mit über 700 Publikationen zählt Knechtle zu den weltweit meistzitierten Forschern im Bereich Ultra-Ausdauer. Seine Studien analysieren Pacing-Strategien, Ernährungsmodelle, Flüssigkeitsmanagement, Geschlechterunterschiede, Altersverläufe und psychologische Faktoren im Extremsport. Er wertet Daten aus großen internationalen Wettkämpfen aus, untersucht Fallbeispiele einzelner Athleten und verbindet empirische Forschung mit theoretischen Modellen. Viele seiner Arbeiten gelten heute als Standardreferenzen in der Sportwissenschaft. Was Knechtle besonders auszeichnet, ist seine Fähigkeit, wissenschaftliche Erkenntnisse mit praktischer Erfahrung zu verknüpfen. Er weiß nicht nur, wie der Körper auf extreme Belastung reagiert – er hat es selbst erlebt. Diese Doppelperspektive macht seine Forschung glaubwürdig, praxisnah und für Athleten wie Trainer gleichermaßen wertvoll. Gleichzeitig bleibt er trotz seiner Erfolge bodenständig. In Interviews betont er immer wieder, dass Ausdauerleistung vor allem eine Frage der mentalen Stärke, der Disziplin und der langfristigen Planung sei. Er selbst trainiert strukturiert, aber ohne übertriebene Verbissenheit. Sein Ansatz ist pragmatisch: verstehen, beobachten, anpassen. Heute gilt Beat Knechtle als eine der prägenden Figuren der Ultra-Ausdauerforschung. Er hat das wissenschaftliche Verständnis von extremen Belastungen erweitert und gleichzeitig gezeigt, dass medizinische Expertise und sportliche Leidenschaft sich nicht ausschließen müssen. Für viele Athleten ist er Vorbild, Mentor und Inspiration. Für die Wissenschaft ist er ein Motor, der immer neue Fragen stellt. Und für die Medizin ist er ein Beispiel dafür, wie tiefes Verständnis des menschlichen Körpers zu besseren Erkenntnissen und besseren Entscheidungen führen kann. Beat Knechtle ist ein Grenzgänger – nicht im Sinne eines Rebellen, sondern im Sinne eines Forschers, der die Grenzen des Möglichen auslotet. Er zeigt, dass Leistung nicht nur im Wettkampf entsteht, sondern auch im Denken, im Beobachten und im Mut, neue Wege zu gehen. Seine Karriere ist ein eindrucksvolles Beispiel dafür, wie weit man kommen kann, wenn man Neugier, Disziplin und Leidenschaft miteinander verbindet.

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Sex- and nationality-based participation and performance trends in the Swissman Xtreme Triathlon (2019–2025)

Participation and performance trends are well investigated for the IRONMAN® triathlon. For Xtreme Triathlons (XTri World Tour) races, only one study has examined participation and performance trends for the ‘Norseman Xtreme Triathlon’ in Norway, but not for other XTri World Tour events. Therefore, the aim of the present study was to investigate participation and performance trends in the ‘Swissman Xtreme Triathlon’ as part of the XTri World Tour. Finisher data from all ‘Swissman Xtreme Triathlon’ editions (2019–2025) were analyzed. DNS, DNF, missing information, and implausible finishing times were excluded. Participation patterns were described by sex and nationality. Sex differences in race time were evaluated using Mann–Whitney U tests. Differences among the ten most represented nationalities were tested using Welch’s ANOVA with Dunnett’s T3 post-hoc comparisons. Temporal changes in performance were assessed with quantile regression at the 0.25, 0.50, and 0.75 quantiles (p < 0.05). A total of 1,032 finishers were included, of whom 13.5% were women. Switzerland had the highest participation (n = 431). Performance was similar across most nationalities, with slower times observed only among athletes from the United States compared with Switzerland (p = 0.01), Germany (p = 0.02), and Norway (p = 0.03). No sex-based differences were found in any edition (overall p = 0.4922; r = −0.02). Quantile regression revealed clear temporal changes in performance. At the median (0.50), race time increased by 715 s·year ⁻ ¹ (95% CI: 434–997; p < 0.0001), and a similar rise occurred at the 0.75 quantile (β = 727 s·year ⁻ ¹; 95% CI: 498–955; p < 0.0001). In contrast, the 0.25 quantile showed a smaller and non-significant increase (β = 345 s·year ⁻ ¹; p = 0.0626), indicating that intermediate and slower athletes were primarily responsible for the overall temporal decline. Sex-specific analyses confirmed this pattern: significant increases at the median and 0.75 quantiles for men, and a significant increase only at the median quantile for women. Swiss athletes formed the largest portion of competitors in ‘Swissman Xtreme Triathlon’, while performance was comparable across most nationalities. Women and men performed similarly throughout all editions. Race times increased across years, particularly among intermediate and slower finishers. These findings provide an updated overview of participation and performance trends in this major XTri World Tour event. Future studies need to investigate more races of the XTri World Tour.

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Brescia Art Marathon

The Brescia Art Marathon (BAM) is one of the most popular running events in northern Italy and took place on March 8, 2026. With around 8,000 participants, it was a record-breaking year, and as always, the event offered three main distances: 42 km, 21 km, and 10 km.

The route passed through UNESCO World Heritage sites such as the Capitolium, Piazza Paolo VI, the Duomo Vecchio and Nuovo, and Piazza della Loggia.

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Examining attention- deficit/ hyperactivity disorder in endurance and ultra-endurance runners

Background: Attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a multifactorial and complex neurodevelopmental disorder. Prevalence of ADHD in the general adult population is around 3.1 %, with little data available in athlete population suggesting rates of between 7 %-8 %. No data are available for endurance and ultra-endurance runners. Methods: Cross-sectional survey study in endurance (≥21.1 km to 42.2 km) and ultra-endurance runners (≥42.2 km), using the Adult Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder Self-Report Scale (ASRS-5) for screening for ADHD and assessing associated risk factors and sex differences using statistical and machine learning (ML) techniques. Results: A total of 601 runners participated (female n = 222; male n = 379; mean age 42.8 ± 10.1 years). Overall, 9.7 % of runners returned screening results above the cut off score from the ASRS-5 for ADHD, particularly half-marathon runners (14.8 %; n.s.) compared to marathon (8.0 %) and ultramarathon runners (8.7 %). No significant sex differences (female 10.8 % versus men 9.0 %) or differences in performance levels (elite (0.0 %) versus non-elite (10.1 %) runners) were observed. Age was the only statistically significant associated factor (p = 0.03), particularly in younger runners (under the age of 40 years). Conclusion: This study provides novel essential screening data on ADHD among endurance and ultra-endurance runners. The screening rates for ADHD traits exceed those found in previous studies with elite athletes and the general population. Clinical evaluation, using standard clinical criteria to verify the responses for a definitive diagnosis of ADHD is recommended, as well as increasing awareness of ADHD, education, support services and targeted interventions. Sports organizations, health professionals, and policymakers should implement systematic screening and education programs to address these concerns.

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The Norseman Xtreme Triathlon: A narrative review of current scientific evidence on performance, physiology, and health risks

Background The ‘Norseman Xtreme Triathlon’, held annually in Norway, is considered one of the world’s most challenging triathlons, surpassing the traditional IRONMAN®-distance in terms of difficulty. This narrative review aims to summarize the current scientific evidence to support athletes and coaches in preparation for this event. Methods We conducted a narrative review to summarize the current scientific literature on the ‘Norseman Xtreme Triathlon’. A structured search was conducted in two major databases—PubMed and Scopus—using free-text terms related to ‘Norseman Xtreme Triathlon’. The search included articles published up to the end of November 2025, without language restrictions. After removing duplicates and unrelated articles based on title and abstract screening, 16 relevant publications were included for analysis. Results Over the years, the number of female and male finishers increased, the men-to-women ratio decreased, and both split and overall race times decreased. Most athletes competing in the ‘Norseman Xtreme Triathlon’ came from Norway, and Norwegian athletes achieved the most podiums. The race affects different organ systems and biomarkers, with increased values of WBC, CK, NT-proBNP, CRP and AST returning to pre-race levels within hours or days. Due to the cold environment, athletes appeared to be at risk of developing hypothermia and swimming-induced pulmonary edema (SIPE) during swimming and both exercise-induced bronchoconstriction (EIB) and exercise-induced arterial hypoxemia (EIAH) after the race. Conclusions Particular care is needed in preparing for the cold water and general cold environment during cycling and running. The specific nutritional demands, the aspects of pre-race preparation (e.g. training, experience), post-race recovery trajectories, hormonal profiles, or psychological responses of the ‘Norseman Xtreme Triathlon’ remain underexplored and represent an important area for future research.

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Pacing of the First and Only Female Finisher in the World's Longest Triathlon: The 2024 Triple Deca Ultra Triathlon

Pacing in triathlon has been analyzed for distances up to 60 long-distance triathlons in 60 days in men. However, no study has examined pacing in a female ultra-endurance triathlete in a multi-day triathlon exceeding 10 days. Thus, this case study analyzes the pacing of the first and only woman to complete 30 long-distance triathlons in 30 days. Lap times for swimming, cycling, and running, including transitions, were collected from race results. The athlete tracked each discipline daily using a Fenix 7 Sapphire Solar, recording average and maximum heart rates and energy expenditure. The coefficient of variation and second-order polynomial regression were calculated for average pace, split, and total times. Repeated measures ANOVA tested interactions in pace performance across 10-day phases and intra-discipline daily pacing variations. Multivariate regression examined physiological parameters’ impact on pacing. The female triathlete maintained a relatively even pacing strategy throughout the race, with a decrease in cycling speed and an increase in running speed. Cycling showed the strongest and significant correlation with total race time (r=0.810; p<0.001), while running (r=0.347; p=0.119) and swimming (r=-0.312; p=0.165) displayed non-significant associations. The pace varied within the disciplines, with cycling becoming slower and running faster in the last quarter of the race. Energy expenditure, maximum and average heart rate were significant predictors for cycling (R2=0.538; p<0.001), while only average heart rate was the best predictor for running performance (R2=0.450; p<0.001). Tactical considerations most likely influenced pacing, particularly in cycling and running. Future research should further explore pacing strategies in ultra-endurance events.

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