CHICAGO — William Gane has finished the world's toughest running race, the Badwater 135, crossing the finish line Wednesday morning in 35 hours, 22 minutes and 34 seconds.
He finished 31st overall in a field of 97 runners representing 24 countries.
The Old Town 40-year-old became just the third Chicago resident to complete the epic 135-mile trek from Death Valley to Mt. Whitney, Calif. in the event's 39-year history. Chicagoans Adrian Belitu and Nikki Seger both finished twice, with Seger taking more than 54 hours to complete one of her attempts.
The Badwater 135 is considered by many to be the world's most difficult and dangerous ultra-distance run, although no one has ever died competing. Last year, 79 of the 97 runners finished, the fastest in 23 hours, 27 minutes and 10 seconds.
The run starts at 280 feet below sea level and covers three mountain ranges with a total of 14,600 cumulative vertical ascents. Gane's race began late Monday night, and by Tuesday afternoon temperatures were in excess of 115 degrees.
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