Camille Herron blitzes women’s 48-hour world record

Camille Herron has broken the women’s world record for most distance covered in 48 hours at Sri Chinmoy in Australia.

The esteemed American runner completed a staggering 435.336km over the course of the two-day event in Canberra.

Herron, 41, lapped a 400m track 1088 times in the process, and eclipsed the record with just less than three hours to go as she set an average pace of around 6:36/km.

Mind-blowing pace

The old record was set six weeks ago when Britain’s Jo Zakrzewski went 411.458km at the Taipei Ultramarathon in Taiwan.

Only two men have run further in 48 hours – Ukrainian Andrew Tkachuk (435.466km) and Greek Yiannis Kouros (473.495km), the latter managing more than 436km on several occasions.

Herron also set a new American 48-hour record when she eclipsed Marisa Lizak’s 391.963km effort, set in New Jersey in 2020.

She ran the first 100km in 8:49:41, then followed with splits of 11:11:37 for 200km, 11:06:24 for 300km and 12:40:32 for 400km.

Yet another record

Herron has been an elite ultra runner for over a decade and has set a multitude of world records during that period.

The four-time IAU International Ultra Runner of the Year has held outright world records for 100 miles and 50 miles, and was reportedly the youngest woman to run 100,000 miles as of April last year.

Her plethora of wins include South Africa’s Comrades Marathon, Black Canyon 100km and the Jackpot 100/US Championship.

She also triumphed at Strolling Jim last year, the brainchild of Barkley Marathons, creator Gary ‘Lazarus Lake’ Cantrell.

Herron is yet to take on the Barkley Marathons, but she followed this year’s event closely on Twitter as a record-equalling three runners finished.

No woman has ever completed the grueling event, but Herron praised Britain’s Jasmin Paris as she became only the second to begin a fourth loop.