A nonstop race through Death Valley on foot in the summer — there’s nothing mankind has devised that eclipses the theater of the annual Badwater Ultramarathon . A vast array of competitors try their best — even a 50-year-old double amputee — and not everyone makes it to the finish line. Because if they did, race organizers would have to find a way to make Badwater even harder .
96 competitors gather at the starting line on Monday morning.
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It typically takes just over 24 hours to win the race.
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Aside from the extreme heat, dust and strong winds are a common obstacle.
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Scotland's Chris Moon lost an arm and a leg while clearing mines in Mozambique in 1995, and this was his fifth time running Badwater. The 50-year-old's previous-best finish was last year's 41 hours, 50 minutes. He finished in 45 hours, four minutes this time around.
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