The world's wackiest races
- Published
Have you ever tried walking in high heels? Tricky enough right, but imagine running along a cobbled street in them! It's a race that happens every year in Madrid, Spain, to celebrate LGBT Pride. The heels have to be at least 4 inches high and are measured before the race. Looks heel-arious.
Competitors in the Maldon Mud Race must run, jump and slither their way through a 400m (1,3ft) stretch of mud in Essex to become the winner. The annual springtime event on the River Blackwater attracts people from all over Europe and raises loads of money for charity. This year saw people taking part dressed as bees, Roman soldiers, ballerinas and cows!
British runner Susannah Gill has won the World Marathon Challenge after completing seven marathons across seven continents in seven days. She ran the gruelling 295km (183 miles) in a world record time of 24 hours 19 minutes nine seconds, burning up to 5,000 calories a day. Fewer than 200 people have managed to run the '777' challenge. The runners go through Nova in Antarctica, Cape Town, Perth, Dubai, Madrid, Santiago and Miami, and fly for over 63 hours over 55,000 miles across the globe
Nay, your eyes aren't playing tricks, these really are pantomime horses taking part in a race. The 'mane' aim of this event is to get you and your partner, dressed as a horse, through the streets of Greenwich, London, as fast as possible. It's pretty hot work running in the suits, we wouldn't want to stay in those outfits 'furlong'...
The Duchess of Sussex showed off her footwear-throwing skills with some serious "welly-wanging" near Auckland, New Zealand. Every year entrants attempt to throw a welly as far as possible to take the trophy - which is, of course, a mini rubber boot. Meghan really 'socked' it to Prince Harry by throwing it much further than him in the 2018 competition.
This grassy race needs serious endurance as it's a 12 hour event lasting through the night. Racers must blaze, or blade, their way round the track near Horsham, West Sussex. Bet you'd feel pretty 'green' after being awake that long!
Marathon des Sables: Six days in the Sahara Desert, running 156 miles in 40°C heat - if this sounds like the holiday from hell, this might not be the endurance race for you! In spite of the obvious drawbacks of the trip, thousands of people take part every year!
Cheese-y does it guys. The aim of this cheese rolling race is pretty simple - to chase a big Double Gloucester down a very steep hill and be the first to grab it!
The Everest Marathon: Don't fancy the heat of the Sahara? How about the freezing temperatures of Mount Everest? The so-called 'Highest Marathon in the World' takes place close to Mount Everest's Base Camp, that's at an altitude of over 5,000 metres! Try not to look down...
The Great Wall of China Marathon: So maybe heights aren't your thing? What about running along the most famous wall in the world? This course takes you 26 miles along China's historic wall, with awe-inspiring views of the local villages and valleys. Just try not to slip down those steep stairs...
More than eight thousand members of the public dress up to take part in Glasgow's annual Santa dash. The festive fun happens on St Vincent Street and has been held every year since 2006. There are lots of Santa runs each year that happen all over the globe in the lead up to Christmas.
Antarctic Marathon: Somewhere flatter might be better - how about a race on the world's southernmost continent - the Antarctic? Here you can run in -20°C weather, through snow and ice, and maybe catch up with the locals, like this penguin! Does anyone else think that he looks a bit confused?
The Man versus Horse Marathon: We are back in the United Kingdom for this one. What could possibly be weird about a marathon in Wales? Well, this marathon pits man against horse! The idea started as a conversation about who would win in a race across the mountains - a man or a horse? They decided to find out for themselves! Only two people have won against the horses so far in over 25 years. Maybe we can let the horses have this one.
Walt Disney World Marathon: Running across deserts, over mountains, through sub-zero temperatures and against massive horses is all well and good, but maybe we need to put a bit more fun into these races? How about a marathon at a theme park? Walt Disney World in Florida hosts a marathon event every year that goes through their world-famous park! Even the medals feature Disney characters.