With our running calendar for ultra marches you will always be up to date in 2025! Find the best ultra marches in Germany and Europe and add them directly to your watch list.
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A new trend has established itself among extreme sports in the form of ultra-marches (also known as extreme hikes), which is also causing a stir in the running scene. For a long time, hiking was regarded as boring or as something for ‘old people’, but more and more runners are taking a liking to ultramarathons.
For many years, obstacle runs, marathons, trail runs and ultra runs were considered the measure of all things when runners were looking for extremely demanding physical and mental challenges. Nobody thought of extreme hikes, especially as the typical event character of the running scene was often lacking in this country. This has changed fundamentally in recent years, as there are now entire series of marches (e.g. Mammutmarsch or Megamarsch), which are also staged accordingly, as runners are used to from running events.
In direct comparison, an ultramarathon and a marathon or ultra run are very similar. They all involve extremely long distances and are a real test for the psyche. However, and this is the main difference between an extreme hike and an ultra run - the movement sequence. This is completely different for an ultra hike than it is for running and therefore poses major challenges even for extreme runners. At least when tackling an extreme hike for the first time. For the completely untrained, this type of endurance test is even more difficult than it is for experienced long-distance runners. Whether it's the feet, joints or muscles, every centimetre of the body hurts in an indescribable way after a certain point during an ultra march. Another big difference is the time factor. An ultramarathon is not about being the fastest to the finish, as there is usually no scoring. The time window for completing a 100 km march, for example, is 24 hours in order to successfully complete the extreme hike.
The appeal of ultra marathons clearly lies in the unknown. Because when marathons and the like are no longer a challenge, extreme runners long for a new challenge. Extreme hikes are a great but welcome unknown, as very few long-distance runners have taken part in an extreme hike in their career. These are in no way inferior to the big running events. In most cases, extreme hikes lead through fantastic landscapes, can take place in summer or winter and, depending on the hike, can also include quite a few metres in altitude. Depending on the distance chosen, the duration of the march is also really challenging. For the 100 km marches, this is usually 24 hours. This is therefore much longer than a marathon, for example. An ultra march therefore offers everything that makes the heart of extreme sports enthusiasts beat faster. Furthermore, taking part in an ultra march is associated with an inspiring sense of community. It's not about time or being the first to cross the finish line. What counts is that all participants reach the finish line together and support each other along the way.
Ultra marches or extreme hikes come in a variety of guises. Whether 50 km or 100 km, whether one-day or two-day hikes, whether on the flat or in mountainous terrain - there is a suitable ultramarch for every taste.
Whole series of marches have now been established, in which thousands of participants come together to take on this challenge.
The Megamarsch was one of the first professional organisers in Germany to make extreme hikes accessible to the masses. Initially, the march series only consisted of the 100 km marches, but was expanded in the following years to include 50 km marches. The 100 km marches have to be completed in 24 hours and the 50 km marches in 12 hours. The mega marches pass through numerous major German cities such as Hamburg, Munich and Cologne. A mega march is now also organised in Vienna in Austria, so that all Austrians can also enjoy this unique experience without having to make any major detours.
The Mammutmarsch also joins the ranks of marching series that have made communal hiking socially acceptable in this country. While 17 participants took part in the first Mammutmarsch, nowadays over 2,000 participants march over hill and dale at the same time. In contrast to the Megamarsch, there are three different distances to choose from for the Mammutmarsch. The shortest distance is 30 kilometres, the medium distance is 55 kilometres and the longest distance is the usual 100 kilometres. As with the mega march, these must be completed in 24 hours. The events also run through all of Germany's metropolitan regions such as Dortmund, Hanover, Stuttgart and Berlin. And in Austria, you can also take part in a mammoth march in Vienna.
The Adventure Wald is a relatively new series of marches in Germany, which was only launched in 2019. Compared to the Megamarsch or the Mammutmarsch, the marches in the Adventure Walk differ from the other march series in two respects. Firstly, in terms of the location. For example, the Adventure Walk does not take place in large metropolises, but in the Palatinate Forest or Saxon Switzerland, where the extreme hikes take place. This offers participants a completely different hiking experience away from the big cities compared to the Megamarsch or Mammutmarsch. The ground conditions also increase the level of difficulty away from the big cities. Due to the increased level of difficulty, the march distance is also different. There are 25 km and 30 km marches and the 50 km march. This means that the longest distance of the Adventure Walk is only half as long as the other two march series.
Have you already taken part in one of the marches we have listed in our calendar? Then please leave a comment at the bottom of the event page to help other participants choose a suitable ultra march.