Ten runners will attempt the world’s highest marathon, descending 42.2 km from the summit of Ojos del Salado, the world’s tallest volcano at 6 893 m, located on the Argentina-Chile border.

The marathon, organised by learning and development company BecomingX, will challenge participants with extreme altitude, freezing temperatures, relentless winds and just 44% of the oxygen available at sea level.

The participants will spend nearly two weeks acclimatising and will undertake about nine hours of climbing before the race begins on February 10.

The expedition team includes globally recognised adventurer and TV personality Aldo Kane and world-record-breaking cyclist Mark Beaumont from the UK, elite climbers Sibusiso Vilane from South Africa and Gavin Bate from the UK, Chilean athlete Andrea Cornejo and the UK’s BecomingX CEO Paul Gurney.

Four additional amateur runners will also take part. Further, the group will be supported by a team of climbers and guides providing essential assistance throughout the event.

In preparation for the marathon, the team completed a training run at the Candelaria openpit copper mine, in Chile, organised in collaboration with the mine’s majority owner Lundin Mining.

Participants ran uphill along about 7% graded roads in temperatures exceeding 35 °C, wearing protective helmets and avoiding active mining operations.

Car manufacturer Ford provided a fleet of offroad trucks and sports-utility vehicles, including the Ranger Raptor, Everest and Expedition Tremor, to support the team in the harsh Atacama Desert.

Official event partner Wheaton Precious Metals is also supporting the expedition, highlighting social impact initiatives in the region and showcasing the local mining community.

“Running in Candelaria was one of the most extraordinary things I have ever done and a perfect opportunity to give the team a taste of the challenge ahead. It truly is an engineering marvel to mine at this scale, and it was a real honour to be welcomed by the Lundin Mining team who made us feel so welcome, safe and supported,” Gurney said.

“It was a privilege to be able to take part in this run in Candelaria, doing something that very few people will ever do. We got to see into another world that we all know exists, but that few people see or understand. The sheer scale and complexity is staggering and truly impressive to see close up,” Beaumont said.

“We were excited to welcome the world’s highest marathon team to our Candelaria operation last week and support their preparation with a unique training session in our openpit.

“This team is pushing themselves to extraordinary heights, and their determination echoes the spirit we share at Lundin Mining to set ambitious goals, challenge limits, and keep moving forward with purpose. It was a pleasure to play a small part in their journey, and we wish every runner great success as they take on this remarkable world-first challenge,” Lundin Mining president and CEO Jack Lundin added.

“We’re proud to support projects that are ambitious, bold and rooted in purpose. With a long-standing presence in the region’s mining sector, supporting the world’s highest marathon is a meaningful way to celebrate this extraordinary community while inspiring young people to believe that remarkable achievements are within reach,” Wheaton Precious Metals president Haytham Hodaly said.

The marathon is expected to attract global attention as runners attempt a record-breaking feat in one of the most extreme environments on the planet, combining endurance sport with high-altitude mountaineering.

This marathon follows on the highly successful World’s Deepest Marathon, which was held in the dark and 1 118.56 m below sea level in Boliden’s Garpenberg zinc mine, in Sweden, last year.