To the extreme

This week athletes who went the extra mile, but the thing that makes them particularly remarkable is they kept going, eventually completing some of the most mind-boggling challenges on earth.

Rob Pope's latest challenge is a 500-mile coast-to-coast run across the British Isles. As ever, he's raising awareness and money for good causes. This time it's food poverty. The previous challenge was in Australia running the route of rock band AC/DC's latest tour, whilst holding an inflatable guitar! But Rob is perhaps most famous for his Forest Gump impression. Actually, less of an impression and more imitation. Exactly 10 years ago he began a 422-day, 15,700-mile run crossing of the United States multiple times to become the first person to trace the route run by Tom Hanks' fictional character.

Three brothers Lachlan, Ewan and Jamie Maclean have now successfully rowed both the Atlantic and Pacific oceans, doing it non-stop and without any support whatsoever. They've just written a book about their experiences called "Three Brothers in a Boat: A True Story of Adventure and Purpose Rowing the Pacific" They tell us about their silent retreat in the ocean, a terrifying overboard moment and burning bagpipes

At 200 miles, it might not be the world's longest race, but Tunnel Ultra is certainly the darkest. It is a gruelling two-day endurance event where competitors run underground laps in single file, to a backdrop of classical music. Headphones are banned but hallucinations are all but guaranteed, with sightings of abominable snowmen, giant slugs and orange blobby monsters all reported. So why do people do it? This is the story of those who do, including one who suffered temporary blindness, then thanked the race organiser for the privilege.

In 2002, a middle-aged mother made history by winning one of the toughest races in the world outright. Pam Reed beat all the elite men competing in the 135-mile Badwater marathon through the desert of Death Valley, California. After, her victory was seen by some as a fluke. She responded by defeating all the male runners again the following year!

Photo: Rob Pope aka the real Forest Gump finishes another run (CREDIT: Erik SAMPERS/Gamma-Rapho via Getty Images)