Vegan survivors take key places and a national record

The extreme event format sees runners completing a 4.16 mile course every hour until they surrender or fail to beat the clock. This means they run 100 miles per day with almost no sleep or proper rest.

On this occasion races were being run in 37 nations, creating a team event.

2021 champion Harvey Lewis competed in the US where he completed 75 laps or ‘yards’. This gave him second place, having completed 312.5 miles. “Ultimately, I got timed out on the trail section” said Harvey. “Getting through the trail portion on day four was no easy feat.”

Harvey has been vegetarian for 26 years and vegan for six, motivated by both health and kindness to animals. He’s one of the USA’s most prolific ultra runners and has broken records at the Badwater ultramarathon and last years’ Last Survivor World Championships.

Italian record goes vegan

Italy’s race saw Antonio di Frasco, who was the national event in this format last year. This year he completed 57 laps (237.5 miles or 383 km) in 57 hours to take the win. This was a new Italian format for the race.

“I’m also qualified for the final in Tennessee next year where I will also race alongside Harvey Lewis!” Antonio told our site.

It was not an easy course, with 4 km flat on the seafront and 2.6 km of pine forest with some height gain. He ate sandwiches avocado, dates and of course, pizza. We asked him how he achieved the record.

“I probably perfected some things in nutrition but most of all my wife was there as a crew” he says. “She is perfect. Her name is Nadia. Well, when you feel good in your spirit, everything is possible. As always I represented many people but above all animals. This always gives me an edge. When I am in crisis she thought of their suffering and this gives me great strength.”

Antonio raised money for an animal shelter called Alma Libre and ran with the ID tag of a rescued bull.