Everything You Need to Know About Multi-Day Running Events
Stage races are ultramarathons divided into multiple days, part endurance challenge, part adventure, and part traveling community. Instead of running one continuous distance, athletes tackle a set course in stages, lining up each morning to run a new leg of the journey. Between efforts, they rest, recover, eat, and prepare to do it all again.
In a world where ultrarunners often obsess over distance and elevation, stage races offer something different: a chance to slow down, explore, and connect.
(Photo above: Thunder Chicken Stage Race)
How Stage Races Work
Most stage races last three to seven days and cover anywhere from 100 to 250 miles in total. Each day features a stage, usually between eight miles and 50k, that runners must complete before the clock stops for the day. Unlike longer ultras, like 200-mile races where the clock runs continuously and racers try to minimize stoppage, stage races let you get a full reset at the end of every day. The next morning, everyone starts again.
Daily times are combined for a cumulative total, and the lowest overall time wins. But most participants aren’t racing the clock, they’re racing the week itself, managing fatigue, nutrition, and sleep over multiple back-to-back efforts. For many runners, stage races offer an approachable and fun way to tackle longer distances, or enjoy a facilitated “run-cation” without having to stress about logistics.
In many ways, finishing a stage race is as much about strategy as fitness. You have to run smart, refuel quickly, and recover well enough to toe the line each morning.
Different Formats, Shared Challenge
Stage races come in two broad styles: self-supported and supported.
Self-Supported Stage Races
In self-supported events, like the iconic Marathon des Sables in Morocco, runners carry everything they need for the entire week, including food, sleeping gear, and mandatory safety equipment. Organizers provide only water and tents. These races test not just endurance but also self-sufficiency and resilience under harsh conditions.
Supported Stage Races
In supported events, such as the TransAlpine Run across the European Alps or TRAVERSE Tanzania in Africa, race organizers handle much of the logistics. Runners carry only what they need for the day, while staff transport luggage, provide meals, and set up camps. The result is a more social, communal experience, one where runners share meals, trade gear tips, and cheer each other through the week.
No matter the format, the demands are the same: back-to-back efforts on tired legs, limited recovery time, and a constant balancing act between running hard and staying intact.
If you’re deciding between formats, reflect on how much gear you want to carry, or how rugged an experience you’re looking for. Different events provide different levels of logistical support, so you can either choose a more rough and tumble adventure like Marathon des Sables, or something a little more facilitated like Pub to Pass (formerly TransRockies).
Why Runners Love Stage Races
Ask any finisher, and they’ll tell you: a stage race feels less like a competition and more like an expedition. “It’s about community, curiosity, and self-discovery,” says Nick Triolo, who has finished the TransAlpine Run multiple times, and says it’s one of his all-time favorite events.
Because the race pauses each day, athletes get to experience places more deeply than in single-day events. They run through small towns, eat local food, and sleep under the same stars they ran beneath that morning. Over the week, rivalries turn into friendships, and the course begins to feel like home.
Stage racing also rewards patience. To succeed, runners must pace themselves, plan their fueling and gear with precision, and recover efficiently between efforts. As Cliff Pittman, a CTS endurance coach, puts it, “Stage races are about durability, not one big peak effort.”
So, if red-lining a trail half-marathon doesn’t exactly spark joy, or you aren’t into races that throw a water jug on a camp table and call it an aid station, you might feel more at home tackling longer distances over a few days, with plenty of support along the way.
Getting Started
Stage races exist on nearly every continent, from the Cocodona 250 in Arizona to Revelation Trail in Canada to the Cape Wrath Ultra in Scotland. Some cater to elite mountain athletes; others welcome first-timers eager for adventure.
If you’re thinking about signing up, start by choosing a format that matches your comfort level and travel goals. Then, build a long runway to prepare, not just physically, but logistically.
👉 Here’s everything you need to know to train for a stage race.
👉 Running a stage race? Here’s how to handle logistics.
👉 TransRockies Run Has Found New Life
