The Ottawa Self-Transcendence 24 Hour Race is part of a triple
Ultramarathon
An ultramarathon, also called ultra distance or ultra running, is any footrace longer than the traditional marathon length of . Various distances are raced competitively, from the shortest common ultramarathon of to over . 50k and 100k are bot ...
race (6h, 12h, and 24h) in the National Capital Region
Ottawa, Ontario
Ottawa (, ; Canadian French: ) is the capital city of Canada. It is located at the confluence of the Ottawa River and the Rideau River in the southern portion of the province of Ontario. Ottawa borders Gatineau, Quebec, and forms the core ...
,
Canada
Canada is a country in North America. Its ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and northward into the Arctic Ocean, covering over , making it the world's second-largest country by tota ...
. The run takes place currently in July, organized by the ''
Sri Chinmoy
Chinmoy Kumar Ghose (27 August 1931 – 11 October 2007), better known as Sri Chinmoy, was an Indian spiritual leader who taught meditation in the West after moving to New York City in 1964.Louis Riel dome, on a 400-meter track. Since 2017, the race has been and continues to be held outdoors at the Asticou Training Centrein Gatineau, Quebec (3 km from Ottawa). Runners from Canada and all over the world participate. It is the longest-running 24 hour race and oldest timed ultrarace worldwide. Runners from Canada and all over the world participate.
History
The race first took place in 1981. Since its debut, it has hosted the National 24 Hour Championship on several occasions. Since 2009, it has also included a 6-hour, a 12-hour and a 6-hour relay race. Over the years, additional distance races have been added as well: 50 km, 50 mi, 100 km, 100 mi, and 200 km.
Records
During the first race in May 1981, Al Howie set the Canadian and North American record, with a final distance of 239.987 km. The following year, he surpassed his record by attaining a distance of 241.726 km. The men's current course record is 242.919 km by Peter Holubar in 1990. The women's course record of 214.487 km was set by Jamie Donaldson in 2009. During this race, she also broke the US 200 km record for women. In 2013, Jon Olsen ran 100 miles in 11:59.28, setting a new American 100-mile track record and a new North American record. The race is listed as one of the world's toughest endurance challenges.