It was about the adventure, says fastest runner to cross the Alps

Sun Sep 06 2026 01:46:23 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)

Sophie Woods has become the fastest runner to finish a 2,000 km ultramarathon across the Alps, completing it in 29 days.

Sophie Woods shattered the Via Alpina record, covering 2,000 km across the Alps in just 29 days, beating the previous 35‑day benchmark. The 1242‑mile journey took her through eight countries, where she faced storms, heat spikes of up to 37 °C, floods and wildfires. Throughout the odyssey she focused only on the moment at hand, saying “I was only ever thinking about the day, the hour, the sort of minute that I was in.” She credited ice‑cream slushies and determination with powering her to the finish.

It was about the adventure, says fastest runner to cross the Alps

Sophie Woods has become the fastest person to complete a 2,000‑km (1,242‑mile) ultramarathon across the Alps, finishing the demanding Via Alpina trail in 29 days – a new record that eclipses the former 35‑day best.

The grueling trek took Woods through eight countries, battling blizzards, scorching temperatures reaching 37 °C, floods that altered routes and even wildfire‑inflicted sections of the route. Despite the constant hardships, she persisted through a disciplined day‑by‑day mindset.

When asked about her focus during the race, she told BBC Breakfast, “Through the whole thing, I was only ever thinking about the day, the hour, the sort of minute that I was in.” Her mental approach was matched by a practical token – a steady supply of ice‑cream slushies, which helped sustain her energy reserves over the relentless two‑month stretch.

Woods’ record‑setting run exemplifies how endurance, mental resilience and a strategic nutrition plan can together push the limits of human performance on the world’s most demanding terrain.