"The Tunnel" Is a 200-Mile Race Into the Depths of Your Mind

Agnes Kaminska completed the 200-mile Combe Down Tunnel ultramarathon after earlier attempts ended in severe pain and hallucinations. Only eight runners finished this year, and she was the only woman to cross the finish line. The event runs 100-mile out-and-back routes through a mile-long, moss-covered tunnel in Bath, with a 55-hour cutoff. Runners have no light beyond a headlamp, cannot use headphones, and have no way stations. For 200 miles, participants rely on themselves in darkness, facing mental strain, hallucinations, and deep questioning. Qualification requires completing a 100-miler, entry costs $360, and hospitality is limited to water, tea, and Pot Noodles, with minimal facilities.

"Every March, a handful of dauntless runners attempt 100 "out and backs" through the grotty, mile-long, moss-covered Combe Down Tunnel in Bath. It's the longest ultramarathon run almost entirely underground; it has a 55-hour cutoff; and it is, by all accounts, a brutal experience. Not only are you devoid of light other than a headlamp, but headphones are banned and there are no way stations. For 200 miles, it's just you and your thoughts alone in the dark. Your mind will suffer. You will hallucinate. And you will question your very reason for existing."

"Organizer Mark Cockbain, himself a former ultrarunner who set up the event in 2019, has a warning for anyone who thinks they're up for it. "This is a very low key, no nonsense extreme test of running ability and endurance," he writes on the event's website. "THIS IS NOT A SEE HOW FAR YOU CAN GET IN 55 HOURS EVENT (you will be timed out if not at 100 miles in 27:30).""

"As per Cockbain's rules, you'll need to have completed at least one 100-miler to qualify. Should you win a place, you'll pay $360 for the pleasure of taking part. There is no mollycoddling or chill-out area, just a fold-up table outside of the tunnel entrance. You'll need to bring your own comforts, and be happy sharing a single portable toilet. Water, tea and the British staple of Pot Noodles are all you can expect in the way of hospitality."

"The first time Agnes Kaminska ran "The Tunnel," her legs hurt so much that she screamed when she stopped. But she finished. The third year, she dropped out after hallucinating lights flashing on the walls. This year, she returned, becoming just one of eight to complete the 200-mile subterranean ultramarathon, and the only woman to cross the finish line. "It's a very special place for me," says Kaminska, who lives in the South West of England. "The Tunnel teaches you things.""

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