The Trans Atlas Marathon is, without doubt, one of the most incredible marathon event or foot race that annually takes place at Zaoulat Ahansal, in the Atlas mountain in Morocco. The Trans Atlas Marathon race is organized by world-renowned ultra-runner, Mohamed Ahansal who is a multi-time winner of the Marathon des Sables (MDS) in Morocco.
The Trans Atlas Marathon is an ultra-marathon of about 275km in 6 stages of 66km per day where each competitor comes along with their own food and equipment during the race. The route for the Trans Atlas Marathon is marked while the participants are provided with a road book. The final stage of the Trans Atlas Marathon is a stand-alone Trans Atlas Marathon stage which allows other local runners or participants to enter without the fear of a huge first race.
Needless to mention, the Trans Atlas Marathon is a unique, exceptional and challenging ultra-marathon which puts it in a league above most others. The Trans Atlas Marathon is intended to have a family feel and also with no more than a hundred participants taking part in the race in a single year.
This incredible marathon event, Trans Atlas Marathon has been truly a beautiful experience to participants from every perspective. It comprises a mix of some European runners, Moroccan runners with local people working the race and ensuring a fantastic race condition has all accumulated in a brilliant last stage of the Trans Atlas Marathon.
A brief history of the Trans Atlas Marathon
The Trans Atlas Marathon was created in 2013 by world-renowned brothers, Lahcen and Mohamed Ahansal who are famous for their successes in having completed the Marathon du Sables 15 good times. Today, the race is deemed the toughest Moroccan stage race. The Trans Atlas Marathon, which attracts both local and international participants or runners is a 275km race which takes only 6 days to be completed. Throughout these six days of the Trans Atlas Marathon, competitors complete about 60km daily and the nights are spent in bivouac tents which also give the runners opportunities to visit the remote areas of Morocco which are not opportune to most travellers visiting Morocco. The Trans Atlas Marathon usually takes place between 12th to 22nd May and it cost about €1,500.
The Trans Atlas Marathon is indeed an exceptionally challenging event of which particularly giving the ascent and altitude of each day of the race sets the Trans Atlas Marathon apart from a whole number of other ultra-marathon races. The Trans Atlas Marathon seems to have all the hallmark which opportune you to truly find your threshold.
The Trans Atlas Marathon is a small race and will always be as this seems to be the only way for the founders, Ansel and Lahcen to properly direct the course of the race through the tiny ochre stone village perched in the mountains.
The Trans Atlas Marathon also has been a way of granting foreigners, runners or competitors the access to have a look into the side of Morocco which would have not been easily accessible otherwise.
How to Endure 