I Sassi di Matera

I Sassi di Matera

The start is in Matera, among the Sassi that the organiser notes are a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and the first part of the race is run in the dark. The course crosses from Basilicata into Puglia through the Terra delle Gravine: limestone ravines, hypogea and rock churches that still hold Byzantine frescoes, centuries-old olive trees, and a change of ground from the white stone of the Murgia to Mediterranean scrub. The last kilometres run along the beach of Castellaneta Marina, on the Ionian Sea.

The organiser publishes 145 km in the race header and 144 km in the course text, with 3,500 m of ascent. That is little climbing for a hundred miles, so the time limit of 27 hours is the number to plan around. Runners leave one 30-litre drop bag at the start and get it back at the Castellaneta aid station and at the finish.

This page covers the 2026 edition. With a night start and a finish on Saturday, much of the following happens while friends sleep and wake up again. On the runner’s own Livebib link they see the position on the course line, distance covered and a finish estimate that updates through the night. When the phone loses signal deep in a ravine, the position is carried forward and marked as estimated.