Ultra-runner Sophie Woods ran 2,000km across eight countries in only 29 days to break the record for completing the Via Alpina – one of the world’s toughest endurance challenges.
The course follows the entire length of the Alps with elevation equivalent to climbing Mount Everest 12 times.
The 42-year-old began the marathon on 4 July in Italy, following a trail network through Slovenia, Austria, Germany, Liechtenstein, Switzerland and France before ending on the Mediterranean coast in Monaco on Saturday night.
New Zealander Woods and her team battled two heatwaves, storms, a swarm of horseflies, and wildfires that resulted in a detour that added five kilometres and 200m of treacherous climbing to her route.
British runner Jake Catterall set the previous fastest-known time for the route, completing it in 35 days in 2024.
“I am ecstatic but knackered,” Woods told BBC Sport.
“The last couple of days I did on one and a half to two and a half hours of sleep to really push at the end
“That tipped me over the edge a little bit.”
The Via Alpina route is considered so arduous and technical that only a handful of runners have ever attempted it under formal timing.
“There were a few points where I felt like I don’t know how I’m going to get to the finish of this,” she said.
“I never wanted to stop but the enormity of the task was overwhelming at times.
“I might not be the fastest person out there but I know how to do big, long days in the mountains and just keep moving when everything hurts.”
Eating was key to Woods’ success.
Fuelled by McDonald’s, pasta and energy gels to sustain her for 15 to 18 hours of running a day, Woods was supported along the course by husband George, friend Zoe and Nila the dog.
“The first week was horrendous – everything was swollen, everything was sore. I was sure I was going to pull 15 million muscles,” Woods said.
“Week two wasn’t great either and then week three, I felt like I was getting fitter.
“It was like I was eating mountains for breakfast.”
Several European nations have been afflicted by wildfires this summer during a succession of heatwaves.
Italy put nearly all of its major cities on the highest ‘red’ alert for high temperatures on Saturday, while wildfires in France, Spain and Portugal have forced more than 300,000 people to evacuate their homes.
“I’ve been close to wildfires before and they are terrifying. I didn’t want to put myself, my crew or anyone in danger by going through the fires,” Woods said.
“We had a rough plan of what it [the route] was going to look like, but there was quite a lot of winging it along the way.
“All of our calculations were out. Every day was longer and higher than we had calculated.”
Woods’ achievement marks an incredible year for women in ultra-running, after Rachel Entrekin won the Cocodona 250 in a record-breaking time in May.
After undergoing a gruelling fertility journey, including going through IVF, Woods says she wanted “her life to look different”.
Once she decided to take up the challenge of running Via Alpina, the record was in her sights from the start.
“I didn’t want to be running for more than 30 days – 30 days is enough,” she said.
“I knew that I was strong and capable. But this has taken it over and beyond that.
“Ultra-running is about preparation, mental strength and being able to continue to persevere when things go wrong.
“I think women are really good at adapting and continuing.”
So, what does someone who has run for 18 hours a day for 29 days straight do now?
“I intend to spend quite a lot of time on the couch and watch Netflix – and eat some vegetables,” she added.
