The 2025 edition of the Six Days of France, held in Vallon Pont d’Arc in the Ardèche region, proved historic as two world records were shattered on May 4. Megan Eckert of the United States and Ivan Zaborsky of Russia each set new 6-day running world records in the women’s and men’s categories, respectively — redefining the outer limits of human endurance.

Megan Eckert on her way to setting a new massive women’s six-day world record. Photo: Samuel Lhermillier

📌 Quick Facts

• Race Name: Six Days of France – GOMU 6-Day World Championships

• Location: Vallon Pont d’Arc, Camping l’Ardéchois, France

• Dates: April 28 – May 4, 2025

• Loop Length: 1.13128 km (0.70294 mi)

• Total Time: 144 hours (6 days)

• Weather: 27–30°C days, 4–9°C nights

• Participants: 141 ultrarunners

• Organization: Global Organization of Multi-Day Ultramarathoners (GOMU)

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👟 Megan Eckert Sets Women’s 6-Day World Record

🧭 Final Distance: 603.094 miles (970.585 kilometers)

➡️ Previous Record: Camille Herron, 560.333 miles (901.768 km), set in 2024
📊 Improvement: +42.7 miles / 68.8 kilometers

🔍 Athlete Profile: Megan Eckert

• Age: 38

• Country: United States

• Background: Former triathlete turned ultrarunner

• Notable Wins:

  • 2024 Big Dog’s Backyard Ultra World Record (362 miles)

  • 2024 Six Days in the Dome Champion (526 miles)

Eckert is known for her mental toughness and methodical race execution. Coming into this race, she was clear about her goal: not just to break the women’s world record, but to get close to Joe Fejes’s men’s U.S. record of 606.243 miles.

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📊 Day-by-Day Performance

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🧠 Strategy & Execution

Eckert’s pace was defined by consistency over aggression:

• Longer rest breaks at midday and midnight (~90–120 min)

• Two short naps spaced evenly across the day (~20–30 min)

• Average pace including breaks: 4.12 mph (6.63 km/h)

Unlike Camille Herron’s high-speed front-loading strategy in 2024 (where she significantly slowed after 108 hours), Eckert stayed level and actually increased her pace slightly in the final day. She managed fatigue, heat, hydration, and sleep with discipline, relying heavily on support from her husband and pacing data.

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🏃 Ivan Zaborsky Breaks Men’s 6-Day World Record

🧭 Final Distance: 650.894 miles (1047.512 kilometers)

➡️ Previous Record: Matthieu Bonne, 649.655 miles (1045.519 km), set in 2024
📊 Improvement: +1.24 miles / 2 km

🔍 Athlete Profile: Ivan Zaborsky

• Age: 37

• Country: Russia

• Multiday Pedigree:

  • Winner, 2023 St. Petersburg Backyard Ultra (204.2 mi)

  • Champion, 2024 Volgograd 24-Hour (177 mi)

  • 2024 Phidippides Run: 304 mi Athens–Sparta–Athens in 52 hours

Though this was Zaborsky’s first 6-day race, his resume made him a favorite. He approached the race with a meticulous pacing model that mirrored — and in some areas exceeded — Bonne’s.

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📊 Performance Highlights

Zaborsky’s pacing was more aggressive early, and he built a small buffer of 4–6 miles ahead of Bonne’s pace. However, a long break around hour 118 dropped him briefly behind. With 26 hours to go, he re-entered the race determined, running some of his fastest laps during the final day.

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🧠 Strategy

• Scheduled breaks every 6 hours

• One long sleep period per day (3–4 hours)

• Consumed a high-carb, low-fat diet designed for digestion under strain

• Real-time pacing data comparisons to Bonne were used via GOMU tracker

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📊 Records Overview – Where They Stand

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📣 What Made These Performances Special?

🔬 Key Factors

• Consistent pacing — both runners avoided large peaks and crashes

• Heat management — midday rest and hydration were critical

• Team support — nutrition, logistics, and live data from crew made a big difference

• Smart gear — shoe rotation and compression gear used to reduce fatigue and swelling

• Resilience — pushing through micro-sleep, fatigue hallucinations, and muscle breakdown

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🎤 Community & Reactions

Both records were followed live on GOMU’s tracking page and Facebook, generating buzz across the ultrarunning world. Commentators compared this edition to “the most disciplined 6-day race in modern history,” with Eckert and Zaborsky showing how experience, strategy, and execution can outshine raw speed.

Megan Eckert and Ivan Zaborsky Set Women’s and Men’s 6-Day Running World Records

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📝 What’s Next?

• Records Pending Ratification by GOMU and DUV

• Interviews and media with both athletes expected on endurance platforms and ultrarunning podcasts

• Megan Eckert may attempt the 606.243-mile U.S. men’s record

• Ivan Zaborsky has hinted at targeting the 1,000-mile multiday milestone

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📚 Learn More

• Global Organization of Multi-Day Ultramarathoners (GOMU)

• Live Results Archive – 2025 Six Days of France