Mongolia Sunrise to Sunset Ultra & Marathon - Race Reviews

Hi, well done, congratulations. I entered/ran/walked the MS2S in 2006 by way of celebrating my 60th birthday! The whole thing from beginning to end is one amazing experience.

Have run twice, the 42 and 100KM. Each new view is spectacular and nature at its best. Brilliant camaraderie, very well organized, and the pervasive magic in the air that is uniquely Mongolian.

If you like mountain runs and nature, this is yours! Not a marathon to improve your PR, but pure magic. I signed up for 100K, but after the first 2 hills, I walked the rest and loved every minute of it - and that for nearly 19 hours! The scenery is magical and even though you will not find any spectators, the support and organizers are very enthousiastic. As all runners sign up for a whole week, the team spirit is great and I was hauled in by all other runners in the camp.

At best, I'm an amateur runner. I signed up for the 100K, but was only able to finish the regular marathon. Went by myself and left with lots of new friends. The course is physically demanding, but the scenery is amazing and beautiful. Pretty much no spectators, but friends you made that are running with you and the enthusiasm of the support staff are more than enough to keep you going. Organization was top-notch. We arrived a few days before the run and stayed a few days after the run. There was plenty to do there: horseback riding, kayaking, hiking, fishing, etc. A lot of us just hung around getting to know each other and learning about the culture and the country. If you do sign up for this, try to spend more time on your own (either before or after the marathon) discovering more of Mongolia. The timing of this marathon is withn a week or two of the annual Nadaam Festival in Ulan Bataar (the capital city). If you can stay for the festival, it's a fantastic experience.

This race gives a perfect opportunity to get to know a country that few people visit. The race takes place close to the Russian border around Hogsvol Lake. The summer weather is sunny and cold, the landscape similar to countries such as Switzerland. The run is well organized, competitors stay in traditional gers (felt tents) and meals are provided. Mongolia is a fantastic place to visit, the people are very friendly and this race gives a great opportunity to get to know the place. One word of warning: the course itself is really tough and look out for the cow who likes to chase runners!!