RacingThePlanet

Upon Successful completion of the Gobi March, 24 new competitors will qualify for the Last Desert! In order to qualify, a competitor must complete two RacingThePlanet Ultramarathons, so an invite to The Last Desert is quite the achievement! There's no better way to cap it off than to experience the thrill and marvel of Antarctica's raw beauty.

Twelve competitors at the Gobi March have already received their invitation and registered for The Last Desert 2026. After the Gobi March, the final opportunity to qualify is the Namib Race in August.

Not qualified for The Last Desert 2026, but still want to take part? There are opportunities to visit the Great White Continent through the Antarctica Ultramarathon, UltraLite (Antarctica) and the Friends & Family Experience!

The Last Desert / Antarctica Ultramarathon / UltraLite (Antarctica) begins 13 November 2026.
www.racingtheplanet.com/antarctica

ONE WEEK to the Gobi March / UltraLite (Mongolia)!!! 158 competitors will be on their way to Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia to meet their companions and tent mates for the week and make their final preparations for the race ahead.

Some facts about the field:
40 countries represented, including Thailand, Finland, Kyrgyzstan , Zimbabwe, and Mongolia, among others. Most represented countries are United States (including 4 from Alaska!), Hong Kong, United Kingdom, and Australia.

The age range is up to 71 years young. 65% of the field is first timers. 36% of competitors are female. Two 4 Deserts Club members are joining the race, as well as five 4 Deserts Club members among the staff and volunteers including two past champions! En Lin Foo of Malaysia will earn his 4 Deserts Club membership upon completing the Gobi March. En Foo's wife is joining the UltraLite.

Belinda Holdsworth is joining her 15th race, 17 years after her first in Namibia!! Six competitors are returning to complete the Gobi March again, and ten have completed five or more total RacingThePlanet Ultramarathons. Three people will begin their 4 Deserts Grand Slam journeys here in Mongolia.

For more statistics and fun facts about the field at the Gobi March / UltraLite (Mongolia) 2026, visit the link below.
https://www.racingtheplanet.com/mongolia/2026/story/whos-taking-on-the-gobi-march-ultralite-mongolia-2026

Life can never be the same after experiencing Antarctica for the first time. Competitors rave about the unfettered beauty of Antarctica, an unimaginable environment that serves as the ultimate test of endurance during The Last Desert and Antarctica Ultramarathon.

The Last Desert / Antarctica Ultramarathon begin 13 November 2026.
www.racingtheplanet.com/antarctica

"If we try and fail, we have temporary disappointments. But if we do not try at all, we have permanent regrets." -Sir Bernard Williams

The Namib Race / UltraLite (Namibia) begin 16 August 2026.
www.racingtheplanet.com/namibia

Though it's very hard to capture the scenes and emotions of a 250k ultramarathon race through photos, our Brazilian photographer duo of Gabriel Heusi and Thiago Diz find a way. With many ultramarathons as photographers under their belts, they don’t miss when it comes to those precious memories, the stunning landscapes, or challenging moments. It's your RacingThePlanet story told in photos! They offer personalised photo packages made just for you, capturing unforgettable images that never grow old. You’ll find Gabriel looking through his lens at the Gobi March / UltraLite (Mongolia) 2026, capturing the Land of Eternal Blue Sky – and you! If you're running in an upcoming race you can purchase a photo or video package at the link below:
https://www.racingtheplanetstore.com/collections/gobi-march

Competitor Spotlight: Mabasa Mubatapasango
Mabasa is preparing for the Gobi March, his third RacingThePlanet Ultramarathon as a competitor. He's been documenting his journey through daily blogs as the countdown winds down, including his thoughts and preparations, as well as excitement for the race ahead. You can find his blog on our website, link below!

Mabasa Mubatapasango is a humble, big hearted network engineer from Zimbabwe who now lives in Namibia. He first encountered RacingThePlanet in 2017 while setting up internet connections for the event team, never imagining he would one day become a runner himself. At the time he weighed 110kg and thought ultramarathons were “insane,” but witnessing the Namib Race changed his life. After volunteering in 2018 and 2019, Mabasa committed to transforming himself. Through discipline and a strict training plan, he lost 30kg and achieved his dream of competing in the Namib Race, finishing an impressive 8th overall in 2021. He is now determined to complete all races in the 4 Deserts Ultramarathon Series. The Gobi March (Mongolia) 2026 is his third race as a competitor and his seventh RacingThePlanet Ultramarathon overall. It also marks only the second time he has travelled outside Africa. Mabasa is running in memory of Dr Rob Ripley a highly respected medical director at RacingThePlanet and 2021 Namib Race champion. Dr Rob passed away in 2024 after an extended illness.

https://www.racingtheplanet.com/mongolia/blogs
The Gobi March / UltraLite (Mongolia) 2026 begins 21 June 2026.