Achieve Centurion Status: Training & 24-Hour Walking Challenges

How far could you walk in 18 hours, in 24 hours? A Centurion is a person who has walked 100 miles in 24 hours of competition. To achieve that distance in that time, you need speed as well as endurance.

How to Become a Centurion

It's a big challenge to walk 100 miles in 24 hours. But beyond the training and building up your endurance, you'll want to find an event where you can actually perform this challenge.

Ultra distance runs and walks can be found, but not all of them are held for 24 hours, and not all of them will give you the Centurion designation.

These are the Centurion organizations and events in various countries. It is smart to connect with these organizations to find out further details on how to achieve your Centurion award.

United States

• Ultra Centric: This event is held each November in Grapevine, Texas in the Dallas area. Their events are USATF certified and timed. They have a variety of timed events, which include the 24-Hour Endurance Run which can be used to earn your Centurion designation. In addition, they have 6-Hour, 12-Hour, 48-Hour and 72-Hour Endurance Runs.
• FANS Ultra Race: Held in June in Minneapolis, this event welcomes walkers as well as runners. You make laps of a 2.14-mile loop in Fort Snelling State Park on asphalt and gravel trails with shade and two aid stations each loop. They have 6-hour, 12-hour and 24-hour events.
• United States Centurion Walkers: Taking the baton from long-time ultrawalker Ulli Kamm, Rob Robertson shows Centurion-qualifying events and lists of centurions in the US. You can also learn what these races are like from their Past Race Results and Reports page, where walkers give their first-hand accounts.

Australia

The Australian Centurion Club hosts an event each year on a track to certify Australia Centurions. Besides the 100 Mile/24 Hour achievement, medals are also awarded for 100 kilometers and for 50 kilometers. 

The Netherlands

The Rotterdam Continental Centurion event is held each year the first weekend in June. The Dutch Centurions club has information. Our correspondent Christina Elsenga earned her title of Continental Centurion in 1998 and tells us first hand. Report.

United Kingdom

The Centurions1911 site lists events, celebrates Centurions and has current lists and has information and links to current 24-hour races to qualify as a Centurion. These include the Bourges 24-Hour race in France, held in February, Paris-Alsace held in June, Chateau-Thierry, and Roubaix,

New Zealand

The New Zealand Centurions site has information on becoming a Centurion and training for ultrawalks.