🇮🇸 Ultra Marathon in Iceland: Country #3, Iceland

Giuseppe Miuccio
Jan 5
2 min read

Updated: Jan 16

5th January 2026

Country number three of Run for Voices took place in Iceland, and it was unlike anything I have ever experienced.

This run was completed on 5th January 2026, in the heart of the Icelandic winter, during the polar night, a time when daylight barely exists. It was cold, remote, and unforgiving. At times, it was also genuinely dangerous.

The route started at Úthlíð Cottages, heading toward Geysir, continuing on to Gullfoss, and finally finishing in Flúðir. A total distance of 50 kilometres, completed in 6 hours and 45 minutes, with temperatures reaching −12°C.

From start to finish, I ran almost entirely alone.

This wasn’t a race environment. There were no crowds, no aid stations, and no atmosphere. For long stretches, I was moving through what felt like an Arctic desert, endless roads, ice underfoot, wind cutting through layers, and silence broken only by my own breathing. Occasionally, I would see a car pass in the distance or some horses, but otherwise there was nothing.

This was a run that required full focus and respect for the environment.

It is not something that should ever be attempted without proper planning, support, and safe conditions.

For one hour during the run, a local photographer, Arnar, joined me. He drove over an hour simply to spend time documenting part of the attempt, helping me capture photos and video in conditions few would choose to stand in, let alone run through. His presence, even briefly, made a difference.

I travelled to Iceland with Bhavi, Shawn, and Shannon. The run was in the heart of the Golden Circle and while they explored it, they also tracked my progress using an AirTag, watching the distance close, kilometre by kilometre. In the final stretch, they came out to meet me and recorded the moment I reached the 50km mark.

Five minutes later, exactly as planned, we were in the Secret Lagoon, submerged in hot springs, steam rising into the freezing air. The contrast was almost surreal.

During the trip, we were also fortunate enough to witness the Aurora Borealis, a reminder of how extraordinary this place truly is. Despite the extreme cold, the weather remained stable enough to allow the run to go ahead safely.

Very few people have ever attempted, and completed, an ultra marathon in Iceland during the polar night. This run pushed the limits of what I believed was possible, not just physically, but mentally and logistically.