When most people hear the word “marathon,” they think of the famous 42 kilometre race. But there are small group of extraordinary athletes push the limits of human endurance far beyond that distance not 50, not 150 but they run over 250 kms in a day. This is called Ultra Marathon.
Recently, India achieved one of its greatest ultra-running milestones when three Indian runners dominated the IAU Asia-Oceania 24-Hour Championship held in Hirosaki, Japan, by capturing all three individual podium positions and helping India win the team gold medal.
A Historic Indian Sweep
The Indian men’s team delivered a performance that stunned the ultra-running world.
- Amar Singh Devanda won Gold by covering an astonishing 282.881 km.
- Geeno Antony secured Silver with 272.894 km.
- Saurav Kumar Ranjan claimed Bronze after running 260.058 km.
Together, the Indian team covered a total distance of 815.833 km in just 24 hours, setting a new Asia-Oceania Championship record.
To put this achievement into perspective:
- The distance from Mumbai to Goa by road is approximately 590 km.
- The Indian team collectively covered a distance greater than travelling from Mumbai to Bengaluru.
- Amar Singh Devanda alone ran nearly the distance from Mumbai to Pune and back again without stopping for an entire day.
What Exactly Is a 24-Hour Ultra Marathon?
Unlike traditional races where the distance is fixed, a 24-hour ultra-marathon is a race against time.
Athletes run continuously for 24 hours on a measured course. The winner is the runner who covers the greatest distance before the clock expires.
There are no shortcuts:
- Runners battle exhaustion, muscle breakdown, sleep deprivation and mental fatigue.
- Nutrition and hydration become as important as speed.
- Many athletes experience hallucinations after running through the night.
- Every step beyond the marathon distance pushes the body deeper into survival mode.
Elite ultra-runners can burn between 12,000 and 18,000 calories during such an event equivalent to consuming food for nearly a week for an average person.
Why Japan Is Special in Ultra Running?
Japan is considered one of the global powerhouses of long-distance and ultra-distance running.
The country has produced numerous world-class ultra-runners and world records.
Japanese legend Ryōichi Sekiya won the IAU 24-Hour World Championship four times and remains one of the greatest athletes in the history of the sport.
Japan has also produced world-class 100 km runners, including Takahiro Sunada, who once held the men’s 100 km world record with an incredible time of 6 hours 13 minutes.
For Indian athletes to dominate such a championship on Japanese soil makes the achievement even more remarkable.
Training Required for Such Feats
The brutal reality of Ultra running are often called “the sport of suffering.” A standard marathon covers 42.195 km. Ultra-marathons begin where marathons end.
Preparing for a 24-hour championship is vastly different from preparing for a regular marathon.
Elite ultra-runners often:
- Run 100 to 200 km every week.
- Spend years developing aerobic endurance.
- Train the body to absorb calories while running.
- Perform strength training to prevent muscle breakdown.
- Practice running through the night.
- Simulate race conditions lasting 10–15 hours during training.
Mental training is equally important.
Many athletes describe ultra-running as a battle against the mind rather than the body.
When fatigue becomes overwhelming, the ability to remain focused and continue moving often determines success.
Fascinating Ultra-Marathon Statistics
Here are some mind-blowing numbers:
- Amar Singh Devanda averaged nearly 11.8 km every hour for 24 consecutive hours.
- The Indian men’s team total of 815.833 km is the highest ever recorded by an Asian nation at an IAU Championship.
- India’s team fell just 13 km short of the highest team total ever recorded in a world championship.
- Eight out of eleven Indian athletes achieved personal best performances in Japan.
- Amar Singh’s performance is currently the best men’s 24-hour distance recorded anywhere in the world during 2026.
A New Era for Indian Endurance Sports
India has traditionally been known for cricket, hockey and athletics. But ultra-running is quietly becoming one of the country’s fastest-growing endurance sports.
From Himalayan mountain races to desert ultras and international championships, Indian runners are now proving they can compete with the world’s best.
The remarkable achievement in Japan is not just a medal-winning performance—it is a signal that India is emerging as a serious force in global ultra-endurance racing.
As these athletes crossed the finish line after running through an entire day and night, they carried more than their own ambitions. They carried the hopes of a nation and demonstrated what the human body and mind can achieve when determination refuses to quit.
Their victory is a reminder that limits often exist only until someone dares to break them.