3. Heidi 222 2027

Heidi 222 sends runners 222 km from Celle to Hamburg-Fischbek on the Heidschnuckenweg, a sandy, rooty long-distance hiking trail in northern Germany. This is a trail ultra with about 1,600 m of elevation gain and a cutoff of roughly two days; the main race is a nonstop overnight effort, not a staged run. The series also offers a 111 km race from Soltau to Hamburg, a 55 km option, and extreme-hike versions of all three distances. The route follows the Heidschnuckenweg north through the Lueneburg Heath area toward Hamburg, with the longest race starting in Celle and the 111 km race joining from Soltau. The field is small: recent 222 km editions had only a few dozen starters, and DUV lists 36 total finishers over the race’s history, including 31 men and 5 women. Fast winners have still needed about 29 hours, while women’s winning times have been around 34 hours. Logistics are part of the challenge, with drop bags collected along the way and moved to the finish, sometimes after several hours of waiting.