What distance can a person run without stopping? The answer might surprise you!

Many individuals find it challenging to run even 1 km, while there are those who can easily cover a distance of 10 km. Then there are the ultra-marathoners, known for their ability to run distances exceeding 42 km. But how far can a person run before they simply have to stop? This is discussed by Live Science.

To answer this question, we need to clarify what "stop" truly means. As of now, the unofficial record for the longest run without sleep belongs to American ultra-marathoner Dean Karnazes. Twenty years ago, he ran 563 km in 3.5 days.

Two years ago, American ultra-marathoner Harvey Lewis set a new record for long-distance running by running in circles. In this type of competition, runners complete a 6.7 km loop every hour until only one runner remains. Lewis ran 108 such loops over the same number of hours, which amounts to approximately 4.5 days. This means the total distance he covered was 724 km. However, Lewis took short breaks to rest at the end of each hour.

Since ultra-marathon runners often take brief breaks to walk, eat, use the restroom, or, depending on the type and duration of the run, sleep, there is no official record for the longest run without stops. But if there were, the need to use the restroom would likely be the primary limiting factor for distance running.

Jenny Hoffman, a physicist from Harvard University, holds the world record for the fastest walk across the United States among women. She managed to cross the country in 47 days, 12 hours, and 35 minutes. According to her, the main factor limiting a person's ability to move over very long distances without stopping is the need to urinate.

According to French physiologist Guillaume Millet, aside from short breaks to use the restroom, humans possess several traits that enable us to effectively cover long distances while running.

Humans have relatively large gluteal muscles that aid in forward movement, the ability to store elastic energy in our tendons and muscles, and strong neck ligaments that support our brain's stability while running. Additionally, we are well-adapted to running in heat because we can regulate our body temperature through sweating.

Despite these adaptations, humans have never specifically evolved for running excessively long distances. This can only be achieved through prolonged training and proper nutrition, scientists say.

Researchers indicate that several physical factors, such as injury, muscle fatigue, or sleep deprivation, can cause a runner to stop. However, mental resilience also plays a crucial role in running extremely long distances. To keep moving for several consecutive days, ultra-marathoners must be able to overcome pain and exhaustion.

Each year, more people attempt ultra-marathons, with the number of interested participants increasing by 1676% since 1996. Perhaps in the future, someone will succeed in setting a world record for running an exceptionally long distance without stopping.