Elite athlete completes 26.2 miles at 6,000m on Bolivian volcano in memory of late godson Archie, aiming to raise £35,000 for bereaved families.
Funds will support The Foundation, The Baby Loss Club, set up by Archie’s parents, providing 1,000 therapy sessions for grieving parents.
A record run at the edge of survival, in memory of Archie
On Tuesday 16th September, elite endurance athlete and entrepreneur Joshua Patterson made history by running a full marathon at more than 6,000m altitude on Uturuncu, a stratovolcano in southwestern Bolivia, setting the Guinness World Records title for the highest altitude reached by marathon distance run (male) of 6,008 m (19,711 ft).
At this extreme altitude, oxygen is less than half that at sea level. Simply standing can leave climbers dizzy and disoriented. Joshua ran 26.2 miles across freezing temperatures and unstable volcanic terrain, forcing his body to the edge of collapse in an environment that few can even breathe.
The challenge, titled Sky’s the Limit, was dedicated to Joshua’s godson Archie, who tragically passed away as an infant. Funds raised will support Archie’s parents, George and Emily Oliver, and their foundation, The Baby Loss Club, with a target of £35,000 - enough to provide 1,000 therapy sessions for grieving families.
"Today I officially broke the world record for running a marathon at the highest altitude, 6,008m. A minute’s silence was held at the summit of the mountain for my godson Archie, and for the 182 children named on the flag beside his that left this earth too soon."
Joshua Patterson
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Pushing limits with a specialist team
Joshua Patterson is no stranger to endurance feats, having previously completed 76 marathons in 76 consecutive days and the Run 4 Nations challenge across the UK in 24 hours. But he described this as his “most daunting test yet.”
The attempt was supported by a small specialist crew, including expedition logistics, medics and local experts, ensuring Joshua could operate as safely as possible in unforgiving conditions where altitude sickness, sudden weather changes and physical collapse posed real risks.
Marathon in the death zone
This marathon was nothing short of superhuman. At nearly 6,000m altitude, oxygen levels are less than half those at sea level, slashing endurance capacity – with research showing VO₂ max can fall by more than 50% at this height. Altitude sickness is common above 2,500m, and at 5,500m, climbers often enter the so-called “death zone”, where prolonged exposure is dangerous. To run 26.2 miles here is almost unheard of – most people struggle to walk at pace without severe fatigue.
Sub-zero temperatures, unpredictable weather and unstable volcanic terrain compounded the challenge, forcing Joshua to push his body to the very limits of human performance.
The challenge was captured for a forthcoming feature documentary, which will premiere its trailer during Baby Loss Awareness Week (commencing 9 October), further amplifying the story behind the record.
More info can be found on JP's Instagram here. Donations can be made via JustGiving.
