Hamed al Harthy, Oman’s sexagenarian, ultra marathon trail runner who has conquered many a challenging trail around the world, set out on the Ephesus Ultra Marathon from Selcuk, Izmir (Turkiye) yesterday (April 5). “I have undertaken this ultra marathon in preparation for the world’s highest ultra marathon in Leh, Ladakh (India) later this year,” he tells Hubert Vaz in an exclusive tete-a-tete on the eve of his departure for Izmir

No barriers can rein him in…neither extreme weather nor treacherous terrain, neither breathtaking altitudes nor dangerous depths. His heart yearns for the great outdoors and his spirit revels in challenges, never satiated with any accomplishment that brought out his best. He is, indeed, a wanderer!

Into his mid-60s, armed with an unflinching spirit and a never-say-die attitude, Hamed al Harthy, believes his show has just begun. Undertaking challenges that many spirited, young trail runners would rather not, this sexagenarian trail runner keeps shifting his goal post, ahead and ahead, with every passing year.

In March 2024, he accomplished a unique feat of scaling up and down the popular Sa’al Steps, at Jabal Khoneh, on the outskirts of the capital near Rusayl, 19 times not-stop within 29 hours. In September the same year, Hamed participated in the 72km Khardung La Challenge, in Leh, in north India, the world’s highest ultra-marathon.

And now, he undertook the 120km Ephesus Ultra Marathon, which was flagged off from Selcuk, Izmir (Turkiye) on April 5. While there were options of 42km and 61km for this race, Hamed aimed for the big deal – 120km with an ambitious goal of completing it within 24hours.

The race began from Selçuk, a town near Izmir, in western Turkey. It’s the gateway to Ephesus, a vast, ancient city with the remains of a large theater and the Library of Celsus. This cultural haven boasts of the ‘House of Virgin Mary’, a domed chapel and religious shrine. And, near Selçuk, a marble column is one of a few remains of the Temple of Artemis. Also, the Ephesus Museum has more items from the temple, plus other artifacts excavated from the ancient Ephesus site.

In a free-wheeling chat with Muscat Daily, Hamed provides some insights into his robust gut and gait. Excerpts:

What prompted you to register for this race?

I am always after tough challenges. I am taking this to prepare me for the world highest Ultra marathon in Leh, Ladakh India – the distance is 122km. The challenges are that you run more than 4000m above sea level for almost 80 % of the distance where the oxygen is only 50%. Last year, I did a similar race in India, but it was 72km. I am always eager to explore ultra marathons in new places because each race is unique with its own challenges.

What are the difficulties on this track?

For the Ephesus Ultra Marathon, in terms of elevation, there are no difficulties but it’s more about building my stamina for the long endurance race. The difficulty here will be the weather – rain, and possibly snow, high up in the mountains.

Have you taken up any training plan for this race – any personal preparation?

Yes, I have been training hard since last December when I finished crossing the width of Qatar. However, my training did get a bit affected during Ramadan.

Are you confident of completing the Ephesus Ultra Marathon in 24 hours?

Yes. As per my preparation, and the plan I have put in place, I am confident of completing the race within the allocated time.

This trail has many cultural landmarks, are you going to capture any experiences besides the race?

Very true. The trail passes through many cultural and historical places. I wish I could take photos. I will only capture them with my eyes, as every minute in the race counts. May be, after the race, I can go around and take pictures.

Have you done any similar races in Turkiye?

No. This is going to be my first time in Turkey.

Is your endeavour supported by anyone or any company in Oman?

No. But in the next race or races, there is a possibility that a leading firm will sponsor me for one race – either in Europe or India.

Are you accompanied by any other runners from Oman on this race?

In this challenge, I am going with other Omani trail runners including Dr Yaqoub al Nadabi, Khusaif al Zakwani and Talal al Awameri

Ephesus Ultra Trail 120K – The challenge

Date: April 5, 2025

Length: 119.3km

Elevation: 3680m

Time limit: 24 hours