Last year, Lululemon, the athletic apparel giant, embarked on a groundbreaking initiative named FURTHER. This initiative aimed to support and pioneer female-centered scientific research on athletes and performance. At its heart was a grueling six-day ultramarathon, which began on March 6, 2024.
A six-day race in running is an ultramarathon event where participants strive to cover as much distance as possible within six days.
Typically held on a loop course, runners continuously complete laps of the track with the freedom to rest, eat, or sleep as needed while the clock keeps ticking. The winner emerges as the runner who covers the greatest distance within this timeframe, requiring extreme endurance, mental toughness, and strategic planning.
The Lululemon Ultra was held on a 2.6-mile (4.1km) certified loop in La Quinta, California.
The FURTHER Ultramarathon wasn’t just another race; it represented a collective effort of ten diverse female athletes aiming to understand their limitations, uncover athletic potential, and push the boundaries of scientific research.
Lululemon partnered with the Canadian Sport Institute Pacific to conduct groundbreaking research studies, aiming to bridge the gap in understanding female endurance performance โ an area that has long been overlooked.
Initial findings from this groundbreaking research are expected to be published in Fall 2024.
“We are witnessing a paradigm shift in womenโs athletics, and Lululemon is proud to be at the forefront of this movement,” remarked Nikki Neuburger, Lululemonโs Chief Brand Officer.
“The FURTHER initiative is about more than just running; itโs about empowering women to shatter barriers and redefine whatโs possible.”
The roster of athletes participating in the FURTHER Ultramarathon included notable names like ultrarunning world record holder Camille Herron and marathon maven Xiaomeng Jia.
Each athlete brought their unique story and determination to push boundaries.
In addition to the ultramarathon itself, Lululemon introduced a range of community activations and product innovations designed to support female athletes.
From the launch of the Blissfeel Trail running shoe to global Strava challenges, the FURTHER initiative aimed to promote diversity in athlete investigations and foster gender balance in sports research.
The six-day ultramarathon was nothing short of thrilling, with each day bringing new achievements for the athletes. Herron, in particular, made headlines by smashing numerous records during the event:
- 48-hour American road record: 247.73 miles
- 300-mile world record (w): 59 hours, 54 minutes, and 28 seconds
- 500K world record (w): 62 hours and 45 seconds
- 72-hour world record (w): 342.09 miles
- 600K world record (w): 81 hours and 23 minutes
- 400-mile world record (w)
- 96-hour world record (w)
- 700K world record (w): 98 hours, 33 minutes, 58 seconds
- 800K world record (w): 117 hours, 44 minutes, 55 seconds
- 500-mile world record (w)
- 120-hour world record (w)
- 144-hour world record (w)
- 900K world record (w): 142hours, 40 minutes, 58 seconds
- Six-day world record (w): 560.3 miles
Herron also aimed to break the menโs six-day record during the event but came up just short.
The record still stands at 644.23 miles (1,036.79km) and has been held by Greeceโs Yiannis Kouros since 2005.
Find the full results of the Lululemon Further Six-Day Ultramarathon below:
Runner | Laps | Distance | Last Lap Pace | Overall Pace |
Camille Herron | 220 | 560.3 mi 901.71 km | 28:07 min/mile 17:28 min/km | 15:22 min/mile 9:33 min/km |
Devon Yanko | 122 | 310.7 mi 500.02 km | 11:20 min/mile 7:03 min/km | 27:36 min/mile 17:09 min/km |
Stefanie Flippin | 44 | 112.1 mi 180.41 km | 11:27 min/mile 7:07 min/km | 1:16:46 min/mile 47:47 min/km |
Montana Farrah-Seaton | 123 | 313.3 mi 504.21 km | 23:33 min/mile 14:38 min/km | 27:18 min/mile 16:58 min/km |
Leah Yingling | 157 | 399.9 mi 643.58 km | 11:26 min/mile 7:06 min/km | 21:31 min/mile 13:22 min/km |
Kayla Jeter | 91 | 231.8 mi 373.05 km | 19:20 min/mile 12:01 min/km | 36:43 min/mile 22:49 min/km |
Yoon Young Kang | 122 | 310.7 mi 500.02 km | 1:40:52 min/mile 1:02:02 min/km | 27:30 min/mile 17:05 min/km |
Xiaomeng Jia | 117 | 298 mi 479.58 km | 29:16 min/mile 18:11 min/km | 28:44 min/mile 17:51 min/km |
Vriko Kwok | 73 | 185.9 mi 299.18 km | 27:41 min/mile 17:12 min/km | 45:59 min/mile 28:34 min/km |
Mirna Valerio | 55 | 140.1 mi 225.47 km | 27:02 min/mile 16:48 min/km | 1:01:06 min/mile 37:38 min/km |