Treadmill Records On Target

With no racing opportunities during the time of coronavirus, ultra-runners keep challenging the treadmill world records at home.

As the races around the globe are cancelled or postponed due to the pandemic, some ultra distance runners chose to push their limits on the treadmills at their homes. A few of the “treadmill world records”, which are not ratified by any sports governing body but only included in the Guinness Book of Records, are improved significantly in the period. 

Zach Bitter, an ultramarathon runner from the USA, broke the 100-mile (161km) treadmill world record in 12:09:15 on 16 May. The 34-year old cut more than 23 minutes off the previous record of 12:32:26 held by Canadian Dave Proctor. Proctor’s 24-hour treadmill record of 260.4km was also broken by Vito Intini of Italy, who ran 265.2km.

The 50km world record, one of the most contested runs on the treadmill, has been broken twice in the last three months. Germany’s Florian Neuschwander finished in 2:57:25 at the end of February to beat the US runner Mario Mendoza’s world record of 2:59:03. On the 16th of April, Swiss orienteering European and world champion Matthias Kyburz ran a new record time of 2:56:35 while in quarantine. Kyburz averaged 3:30 per kilometre for the full distance, passing the 20km in 1:10:48 and the marathon in 2:29:10.

Another treadmill record in the Guinness Book of Records, the 50-mile (80.4km) set in 4:57:25 by Canadian Jacob Puzey in 2016, remains unbroken to date.