Triathlete Rait Ratasepp to run 20 marathons in 20 days

On Monday, Estonian ultramarathoner and triathlete Rait Ratasepp sets off on a challenge to finish 20 marathons in as many days. His goal is to finish all marathons in under three hours.
Ratasepp said his preparations have gone as planned: "All necessary training was finished and my body held up during this long and demanding process. I've trained my body to recover very rapidly. That is the key to this challenge, can't do it any other way."
Ratasepp trains close to home in Tartu, where he has measured out a 6.78 km lap which he completes six times per marathon. In addition to a 1.52 km starting and finishing straight, it adds up to a marathon's 42.2 km.
As the ultramarathoner has a time goal in mind, his choice of track was critical. "There are many nuances which can affect speed in choosing the correct track. Weather, energy deficit and muscle issues."
Ratasepp will run his first five marathons in Tartu and will then head to Pärnu for the weekend. He will visit six Estonian cities during his 20-day challenge, also running through Tallinn, Viljandi, Rakvere and Narva.
Ratasepp has also challenged followers of his social media pages to take part in the #challengeratasepp challenge. Finishing 20 marathons in 20 days is no easy feat, but 64 runners have taken Ratasepp up on his challenge and will try to match the ultramarathoner.
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Editor: Kristjan Kallaste