In brief
Sophie Woods achieved the fastest time ever on the 2,000‑km Via Alpina ultramarathon. Running across eight countries, she battled storms, 37 °C heat, floods and wildfires. Completing the course in 29 days, she beat the former 35‑day record, crediting ice‑cream slushies for sustaining her energy. The runner focused only on each day, sharing her experience on BBC Breakfast. Woods’ feat highlights the growing appeal and challenge of endurance racing in the Alps.
Sophie Woods, 26, just set a record by completing the 2,000‑km (1,242‑mile) Via Alpina ultramarathon in 29 days, a new benchmark that eclipses the prior 35‑day record.
The runner covered eight countries—France, Switzerland, Austria, Slovenia, Italy, Liechtenstein, Germany and the Czech Republic—navigating storms, extreme heat up to 37 °C, floods and wildfires across a grueling 2,000‑km route that tests even the most seasoned athletes.
“Through the whole thing, I was only ever thinking about the day, the hour, the sort of minute that I was in,” Woods reflected during a BBC Breakfast interview. “It’s the small moments that matter when you’re pushing limits.”
She credited those ‘ice cream slushies’—staying hydrated and spirited with frozen treats—to help power her through flats and climbs that tested her endurance.
The achievement draws attention to the far‑flung challenges of distance running in the Alps, illustrating the combination of mental focus, logistics, and weather tolerance required by elite ultramarathoners.
