Notable Races
The headline events that define William Sichel’s career — from the 3,100 Mile (4,989 km) Race in New York to Badwater 135 (217 km) in Death Valley.
Sri Chinmoy Self-Transcendence 3100 Mile Race
The longest certified footrace in the world: 3,100 miles (4,989 km) around a single city block in Queens, New York. Runners must average 60 miles (97 km) per day for 52 days. William completed the race in 50 days, 15 hours, and 6 minutes — becoming the only person over 60 to finish and the only British athlete to complete the race inside the 52-day cutoff. A defining achievement in ultra distance running. William was crewed by Alan Young, Tim Rainey and Adrian Stott.
Spartathlon
The historic 153-mile (246 km) race from Athens to Sparta, tracing the footsteps of the ancient messenger Pheidippides. One of the most prestigious ultra marathons in the world, with strict cutoff times across 75 checkpoints. The Spartathlon demands both speed and endurance across brutal terrain in the Greek heat. William has taken on this iconic challenge multiple times.
Badwater 135
Billed as “the world’s toughest foot race,” Badwater 135 covers 135 miles (217 km) from Death Valley (the lowest point in North America, at 282 feet (86 m) below sea level) to the portals of Mt Whitney at 8,360 feet (2,548 m). Temperatures can exceed 130°F (54°C). Completing Badwater is a badge of honour in the ultra running world.
Athens International Ultramarathon Festival
An extraordinary feat of sustained endurance: 1,000 miles (1,609 km) around the streets of Athens. William completed this monumental distance in 13 days and 20 hours, averaging over 72 miles (116 km) per day. The mental and physical demands of a race this long are almost incomprehensible, requiring meticulous pacing, nutrition, and sleep management.
He returned to the same festival in January 2020 for the 1000 mile race and finished on 939 miles (approximately 1,511 km). On the way he reached 1000 km in 9 days, 19 hours and 46 minutes, second overall and first in his age group at that point.
6-Day Race, Hamm Germany
The 6-Day Race is one of the ultimate tests in ultra running: cover as much distance as possible in six days. William’s 532m/857km effort in Hamm Germany was a career-defining performance, requiring the ability to run, eat, and sleep in a continuous cycle while maintaining competitive pace over nearly a week of non-stop effort.
Monaco 6 Day and “No Finish Line” 8 Day
Monaco is where William’s multi-day career began. His debut 6 Day race in 2006 ended in an outright win with 770.247 km (478.60 miles) and a course record, making him world number one at the distance that year. He returned in 2007 to win again, improving to 809.230 km (502.8 miles) and setting another course record. In November 2011 he entered the Monaco “No Finish Line” 8 Day race against a field of more than 6,000 runners, won outright, set a course record, and became the first person to cover more than 1,000 km in the event. A year later, two 1000 km records set in Monaco became the 59th and 60th of his Project 60@60, completing the target ten months ahead of schedule. The 2006 and 2011 awards were presented by the Sovereign Prince of Monaco, with Princess Charlene joining for the 2011 presentation.
