Running coach and expert Jenny Hadfield tackled the grueling but breathtaking Inca Trail Marathon. From crawling up the Monkey Steps to finishing at Machu Picchu, see why this trail race is one of the toughest but most rewarding marathons on earth.
Looking for something else? Search for a marathon to add to your calendar.
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Scenes From the Inca Trail Marathon
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Inca Trail Marathon
Peru
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Every year, 25,000 people from all over the world hike the 19-mile Classic Inca Trail and cover the challenging course over 3 to 4 days. This year, 41 adventurers made history by finishing the first Inca Trail Marathon.
Inca Trail Marathon
Pisac, Peru
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The successful journey marked an exciting, new direction for marathoning—one that sweeps you off the beaten path, away from predictable splits, and transports you to far off places that challenge your mind and fill your soul.
Inca Trail Marathon
Urubamba River, Peru
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These running adventures are the cure for the common marathon, and the perfect answer to taper madness. Here, we're zip-lining across the Urubamba River.
Inca Trail Marathon
Peru
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Adventure runs teach us how to pack lightly, travel safely, and carry a big set of sticks.
Inca Trail Marathon
Peru
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You can't take a bus to the start line. You trek five miles and camp out on the Inca Trail the night before the race.
Inca Trail Marathon
Peru
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The miles aren't nearly as important as the views earned along the way.
Inca Trail Marathon
Peru
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Pace is lost on the Inca Trail. Progress is tracked by elevation, steps, and the light of day. Elevation Gain = 10,454 feet Elevation Loss = 11,090 feet
Inca Trail Marathon
Peru
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It's a course that plants the seeds of gratitude for the little things in life. Every ounce of fluid, energy and support for the marathoners is carried on the backs of these mountain champions (porters).
Inca Trail Marathon
Peru
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The course winds through 10 eco-systems, cloud forests, alpine tundra, dry cactus plains and three mountain summits. It peaks at 13,829 feet.
Inca Trail Marathon
Peru
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The course isn't lined with thousands of spectators, but you'll feel the warm embrace of the Peruvian culture as you explore their sacred land.
Inca Trail Marathon
Peru
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It's definitely the only marathon where you'll need a passport to reach the finish.
Inca Trail Marathon
Peru
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It's quite possibly the toughest marathon in the world. "The wall" in this race is a series of steps called the Monkey Steps so steep you have to crawl up them.
Inca Trail Marathon
Peru
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But when you reach the top, you walk through the Incan Sun Gate and towards the world's most spectacular marathon finish line: Machu Picchu.
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