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6-DayIAU Gold Label / GOMU World ChampionshipPast edition

EMU 6-Day Race

The 15th EMU six-day race and 2026 GOMU world championship, run for 144 hours on a measured loop beside Lake Balaton.

This listed edition has ended. It remains available as an archive for course and planning research; check the official website for a newer edition before making travel plans.

Results: 2026

Megan Eckert won the XV EMU 6-Day Race outright with 1,024.319 km, becoming the first woman to pass 1,000 km in a six-day race, ahead of men's winner Simen Holvik on 940.874 km.

2026 selected results as published by the linked source
CategoryNameResult
Overall / WomenMegan Eckert (USA)1,024.319 km
MenSimen Holvik (Norway)940.874 km

108 runners started.

Eckert's total is pending IAU ratification and published figures differ: Ultramarathon Database lists 1,024.319 km while RunUltra lists 1,023.948 km and notes the total may rise once officials measure a partial final lap. The edition doubled as the 2026 GOMU 6-Day World Championship.

Source: Ultramarathon Database — 2026 GOMU 6-Day World Championship results. Checked September 14, 2026.

Event Overview

Listed edition overview
DateSep 3-9, 2026
LocationBalatonfüred, Hungary
Format6-Day
TerrainRoad
RegionEurope
Distance / duration144 hours
Course modelLoop
Cutoff144 hours
SanctioningIAU Gold Label / GOMU World Championship
HighlightsGOMU World Championship, 144-Hour Race

Course & Terrain

Measured road loop at the Füred Camping venue, with automated lap counting and partial-lap measurement at the finish.

Why This Race Matters

EMU 6-Day Race is a useful reference point for runners comparing 6-day events. Its format, terrain, and support model shape the kind of preparation required: not just fitness, but pacing discipline, nutrition planning, foot care, and the ability to make good decisions under fatigue.

Preparing for a Race Like EMU 6-Day Race

The 6-day race guide covers the format as a whole. These guides go deeper:

Planning Notes

  • Use repeatable but adaptable routines for sleep, food, skin and foot checks, weather, and medical escalation across the six days.
  • Repetitive surfaces can expose fit, friction, and loading problems. Check in when symptoms or conditions change, and use only footwear already tested for the course.
  • The directory does not mark this as having simpler logistics. Confirm qualification, terrain, support, registration, medical, and withdrawal requirements before planning around it.

Verification & Sources

Verification scope: the listed edition's date, location, format, and available logistics were checked against the event-specific official sources below during the directory review dated August 19, 2026. Organizers can revise details after review.

  1. Official IAU event listing — https://iau-ultramarathon.org/2026-09-03-hungary-xv.-emu-6-day-race.html
  2. Official 2026 race rules — https://www.emusport.hu/assets/documents/2026_6D_RaceRules_EN.pdf
  3. Multiday Running event directory review scope: August 19, 2026.