Middle-school math teacher Megan Eckert is currently competing at the Global Organization of Multi-Day Ultramarathoners World Championship in Balatonfüred, Hungary. The event, which began on Thursday, 3 September 2026, sees over 100 runners attempting to cover as many miles as possible over six days.
Eckert, who turned 40 last month, has set an ambitious goal to not only break her own women's world record but also to surpass the US men's record. Last May, she set the women's world record by running 603.156 miles (970.685km) at the world championships in Vallon-Pont-d’Arc, France, becoming the first woman to run 600 miles in six days.
The course in Hungary is a 0.558-mile (898m) paved road loop. To achieve her goal of beating the US men's record of 606.243 miles (975.654km), Eckert would need to complete the loop at least 1,086 times.