With record-breaking summer heat becoming the norm each year, running endurance events beneath the beating sun becomes a tough — and dangerous — proposition. Just this spring, one runner died and others were hospitalized during a California half-marathon in May. Another died last year during a Disneyland half-marathon amid rising numbers of heat-related deaths in the U.S.
Even Paris had to make big changes to ensure athletes didn’t overheat during he 2024 Olympic games.
Amid all this hand-wringing over how to adapt to rising heat, a group co-founded by Bear Grylls has proposed a bold alternative: run underground.
On October 25, 60 runners will compete in a marathon using the underground tunnels of Swedish mining company Boliden. The race will occur more than 3,000 feet below the surface, with a goal of raising $1 million for charity.
In contrast to traditional marathons, participants will have to endure subterranean conditions, as well as total silence and “running in complete darkness with only their head torches for light,” organizers said.
“We’re incredibly proud to host this historic event at our Garpenberg mine,” Mikael Staffas, Boliden’s president and CEO, said in a news release. “As one of the safest and most technologically advanced mines in the world, it’s the perfect setting to show that mining can be both cutting-edge and purpose-driven. We look forward to welcoming the intrepid runners and shining a light on an industry that’s critical to a sustainable future.”
Aiming for Two Guinness World Records
Unfortunately, the race is not open to the public due to “space reasons,” organizers said. The selected participants mostly come from the mining and metals industry, and will represent 17 different countries. They all have “good running experience,” with many of them employees of Boliden who were offered the chance to participate.
The race will be a traditional marathon distance of 26.2 miles. Though Boliden also said that some of the race will be “partially illuminated,” we’re guessing that extra bright headlamps will be indispensable for this one.
Moreover, event organizers hope to earn two Guinness World Records with the race: one for the world’s deepest marathon and a second record for organizing the event.
This innovative event is organized by BecomingX, a digital platform co-founded by adventurers Bear Grylls and Paul Gurney. They partnered with the International Council for Mining and Metals, and settled on the Boliden-owned Garpenberg Mine for the location. According to a news release, Boliden is “one of the world’s safest mining companies.”
“Runners will be equipped with personal protective equipment and have access to rescue chambers, adhering to stringent protocols designed to protect them in this unique subterranean environment,” the release said.
The mine itself is also historically important, with mining activities dating back to 350 B.C., according to a website for the event: The World’s Deepest Marathon. Garpenberg extracts 3.5 million tons of complex ores containing zinc, lead, silver, copper, and gold.
“This historic endeavour captures the spirit of exploration and human resilience, and proves that limits can always be redefined,” organizers said. “From the depths of the earth, these trailblazers will push beyond physical and mental boundaries to make history in one of the most extreme environments imaginable.”
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