Picture this: You’ve stepped up to the starting line of a 400-meter race, about to run as fast as possible. But you’re not looking straight ahead at the finish line. You tip your head, and you can barely see it because it’s at a 37-degree incline, with a vertical gain of 130 meters. Again, over a distance of only a quarter of a mile. Let that sink in.
But, you’re good. (Or at least that’s what you tell yourself.)
You run, bike, clean, snatch, burpee, box jump, double-under. You train pull-ups, rowing, lunges, and toes-to-bar. And you’re not doing it just to burn calories and to look good in a tank top.
You train so that you can say yes. Yes to a last-minute 5K. Yes to a tough Saturday hike with a friend. Yes to helping someone move an unwieldy mattress up a flight of stairs, or jumping into a local throwdown, or a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity with Red Bull.
You don’t train, so you can stay in your gym. You train to say “yes,” and hopefully create some core memories along the way.
Ok, now back to this monster you’re about ready to tackle.
You’ve signed up to take on the notorious and legendary Red Bull 400, the “world’s toughest 400-meter race.” To complete the race, you’ll charge 400 meters straight up a ski jump at Okurayama Ski Jump Stadium in Sapporo, Hokkaido, Japan.
Challenge, accepted.
Some background: The inaugural Red Bull 400 was held on September 25, 2011, at The Kulm ski flying hill in Austria. The idea was for athletes to run the 400-meter course, which featured an elevation gain of 140 meters and a 37-degree gradient. Participants were hooked, and word started to spread. People wanted in.
The following year, another event was added, so in addition to the Austrian edition, another race was held at the Slovenian ski resort, Planica Nordic Centre. More athletes wanted to test their fitness with the race, and by the fourth year, more than 1,000 people toed the starting lines.
By 2026, the race will have become a global phenomenon and a full-on international circuit, with 15-20 events held each year.
This year, an additional edition was added: an invite-only team challenge, featuring creators, athletes, and individuals from all over the world. Included on the roster are Buttery Bros, Marston Saywers, and Heber Cannon, Demi Bagby, Chayse Byrd, and Imke Salander, among many others.
The version of this race, “The Team Ascent,” will have individuals participating on teams, facing off in three different challenges that test speed, strength, and “body and mind.”
In her own words: Germany’s Salander, a former HYROX world champion and Puma athlete, shares that throughout her years of training, she has learned how precious it is to have a healthy body, and we need to be grateful for that every day.
- “Training also reminds me that we can get things done even if we are not motivated on some days,” Salander told Morning Chalk Up.
And training so that she can say “yes” is a sentiment with which Salander agrees. Her fitness has allowed her to form core memories of her own.
- “My first Wings for Life World Run back in 2019 changed my life. Running alongside so many people with very touching, emotional background stories opened my eyes to the importance of being grateful for health. It’s also the best vibe as everyone is running together (not against each other) to collect money for the Wings for Life charity that aims to cure spinal cord injuries,” Salander said.
Salander anticipates a similar post-even feeling once she’s done with the Red Bull 400. “If it’s a Red Bull event, you always know it will be challenging and unique,” she said. She shared that this event, in particular, always leaves one feeling empty but proud.
The bottom line: Racers will be taking on “The Team Ascent” on Friday, May 15. Teams will be competing to earn points, knowing that every effort counts, every decision matters, and understanding all the while that the Red Bull 400 is so much more than just a race. It’s a shared experience that connects people from around the world. It’s a vehicle to foster collaborations, stories, memories, and community that reaches beyond the mountain.
