Brazil 135 Ultra Journey

Event Overview

Course & Terrain

Point-to-point on the Águas da Prata branch of the Caminho da Fé, from Fountain Square (Praça do Chafariz) in Águas da Prata over Pico do Gavião and through Andradas, Ouro Fino, Inconfidentes, Borda da Mata, Tocos do Moji and Estiva to Consolação. There a closed 24 km circuit outside the Caminho da Fé covers miles 100 to 120. The route then continues to Paraisópolis, where the 135-mile point is the main church (km 217) and the 150-mile finish adds an out-and-back on the Paraisópolis–Cantagalo road. Relay teams of two, three or four runners can finish only at 120, 135 or 150 miles.

Key course features to know before comparing this race:

• Start at Fountain Square in Águas da Prata
• Pico do Gavião at km 18, the highest point at 1,614 m
• Andradas church square at km 38
• Ouro Fino municipal market at km 82
• 24 km circuit in Consolação between miles 100 and 120
• Main church in Paraisópolis, the 135-mile point at km 217

DUV describes gravel and dirt roads, hilly terrain with steep climbs and descents, and slippery, muddy ground. The Caminho da Fé sections follow the pilgrim route’s yellow arrows, and the sections off the route are marked by the organizer. The roads stay open to traffic, residents and pilgrims. Walking sticks are allowed.

DUV’s course description says the race is very hot and rainy in most years. Runners and crew must wear reflective vests from 6 PM to 6 AM.

Entry & Logistics

Why This Race Matters

Brazil 135 was modeled on the Badwater 135: the organizer calls Badwater its sister race and inspiration, and race director Mário Lacerda set the Brazilian race on the Caminho da Fé, a pilgrim route through the Serra da Mantiqueira. DUV has results from January 2006 and lists the January 2027 race as the 22nd edition. In 2013 iRunFar described it as one of three races in the Badwater World Cup, with Badwater and the Arrowhead 135. The race now has an official distance of 150 miles (240 km), but solo runners can stop at any decision point and be listed as finishers at that distance, so the 135-mile point at km 217 is still a finish line. Badwater lists Brazil 135 among its Preferred Qualifying Races, and the men’s and women’s winners of the longest distance earn guaranteed entry to the next Badwater 135.

Historical benchmark notes in the directory record (verify current records with the linked official sources):

• Fastest times on the 240 km course used since 2025 (DUV): Ivan Zaborsky (Russia), 29:37:57 in 2026, listed as Zaborskii; and Carmen María Pérez Serrano (Spain), 32:39:00 in 2025, joint second overall.
• 2026 winners: Zaborsky ahead of Valdenir Jandosa Cordeiro (29:46:12) and Robertson Batista de Souza (32:33:02). Micah Morgan (USA) was the first woman in 39:04:58, eighth overall. 30 runners finished the 150 miles.
• When the main distance was 135 miles or 217 km, DUV’s fastest winning times are Kleber Felipe Dos Santos’s 23:29:33 in 2018 and Edyta Lewandowska-Pyza’s 27:29:00 in 2024, when she won outright. The route has changed over the years, so these times are not directly comparable.
• Badwater 135: the men’s and women’s winners of the longest distance earn guaranteed entry to the next Badwater 135.

Preparing for a Race Like Brazil 135 Ultra Journey

The fixed-distance race guide covers the format as a whole. These guides go deeper:

• Walking strategy for ultramarathons: When and how to walk by terrain, effort and cutoffs.
• Crew and aid-station strategy: Crew tables, aid stops, drop bags and runner preferences.
• Hydration and sodium for ultramarathons: Fluid, sodium, thirst, sweat rate and hyponatremia risk.
• Tapering for ultramarathons: Plan the taper and race week around your own recovery.

Best Fit

• Runners chasing a guaranteed entry to Badwater 135
• Runners who want to choose their finishing distance during the race
• Crewed or uncrewed runners comfortable on hilly dirt roads

Planning Notes

• Prepare for sleep decisions, weather swings, and aid-station discipline. The distance is only one part of a multi-day fixed-distance race.
• The directory does not mark this as having simpler logistics. Confirm qualification, terrain, support, registration, medical, and withdrawal requirements before planning around it.
• The 150-mile finish requires reaching mile 135 within 60 hours
• Stopping between two decision points counts as a DNF
• Runners arriving after 8:15 AM are listed as DNS
• Roads are open to traffic and pilgrims, and crews may help only when stopped
• A lost or unreturned vehicle beacon costs R$300

Event FAQs

Related Preparation

• Open the Fixed-Distance format guide
• Compare all race formats
• Use the timed-race pace calculator
• Plan checkpoint arrivals and cutoff buffers
• Build a crew and drop-bag plan
• Build a race-specific gear checklist