There are ultramarathons. And then there are ULTRAmarathons.
Each May, Vermont hosts one of the most brutal ultramarathons found anywhere: The Infinitus 888K—a mindboggling 550-mile trail race in the Green Mountains filled with steep climbs, mud, and plenty of technical terrain.
Infinitus is an event organized by the Endurance Society and features a variety of rugged trail races. Race distances start with a 9-miler and then go up to a marathon, an 88K, a 100-miler, a penta-marathon (five marathons in five days), a deca-marathon (10 marathons in 10 days), a 250-miler, and, of course, the 888K.
The course is shaped like an infinity symbol, with two connected loops—a short loop and a long loop. The short loop is just over 9 miles and features nearly 2,000 feet of elevation gain. The long loop is more than 17 miles and has more than 2,500 feet of elevation gain. Runners alternate each loop, with some variation at the end depending on the length of their race.
Along the way, runners must contend with the rugged topography of the Green Mountains. The short loop is notorious for its steep, leg-torching climbs, while the long loop is known for wearing down runners. Rocks, roots, and mud are a constant threat to feet and ankles.
Runners taking on the 888K will have 10 days (a strict 240-hour cutoff) to complete the course. To do so, they’ll have to overcome roughly 90,000 feet of elevation gain.
Currently, seven runners are signed up to tackle the Infinitus 888K. They are:
- Tim Barbee of Columbia, Illinois
- Jason Brady of Newtown, Pennsylvania
- Stephen Crawford of Highland Park, New Jersey
- Shenoa Creer of Decatur, Georgia
- Christopher King of Cheshire, Connecticut
- Erin Salmon of Nashville, Tennessee
- Greg Salvesen of Santa Fe, New Mexico
The Infinitus 888K starts on Thursday, May 21.
Learn more about the Endurance Society’s Infinitus Races.
