IE 11 is not supported. For an optimal experience visit our site on another browser.
Runners race 135 miles in 120-degree heat
Shannon Farar-Griefer, 52, of Hidden Hills, California (lying down), is attended to by her team after stopping to drink water as she competes in the Badwater Ultramarathon in Death Valley National Park, Calif., on July 15, 2013.Lucy Nicholson / Reuters
By PhotoBlog
Billed as the toughest footrace in the world, the 36th annual Badwater 135 starts at Badwater Basin in Death Valley, 280 feet below sea level, where athletes begin a 135-mile non-stop run over three mountain ranges in extreme mid-summer desert heat to finish at 8,350 feet above sea level near Mount Whitney for a total cumulative vertical ascent of 13,000 feet. July 10 marked the 100-year anniversary of the all-time hottest world record temperature of 134 degrees, set in Death Valley where the average high in July is 116. A total of 96 competitors from 22 nations are attempting the run which equals about five back-to-back marathons. Previous winners have completed all 135 miles in slightly less than 24 hours.