The 2016 Run Across Taiwan Ultra Marathon began Friday night, with 88 athletes from nine countries running.
The runners' home countries include Taiwan, Japan, South Korea, the Czech Republic, and Singapore. They are challenging the 246-km, west-to-east run across Taiwan's Central Mountain Range, which they will complete in three days.
The run has been dubbed as an "Oriental Spartan" event as it is the toughest among the more than 500 marathons organized in Taiwan each year.
Runners started at Taichung Harbor, running over mountains through Puli, Wushe, and the high-altitude Wulin area before finishing at Taroko National Park on Taiwan's east coast.
Every participant in the ultramarathon is also a "goodwill ambassador." Each runner will ask friends and family members to donate NT$5 (US$0.154) to charity for every five kilometers they run, giving them more motivation to complete the grueling course.