The Everest Marathon, the world's highest marathon, was started in 1985 by Jan Turner and Tony Hunt on a trek to and from Everest Base Camp. Jan Turner pioneered the course in 12 hours without aid stations and a full back pack. On their return to Namche Bazaar they set up an impromptu half marathon. On return to the UK, Jan Turner advertised for competitors and got a trekking agent, Bufo Ventures to organise logistics. After The Daily Telegraph condemned the idea and warned people would die, the race took off and was held in full in November 1987, since when it has been run every two years. In 2003 an alternative race, The Tenzing Hillary Everest Marathon, was started which is held every year on 29 May to commemorate the first successful 1953 Everest expedition by Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay.
The Everest Marathon (1987 - present) starts at Gorak Shep at 5,212 m (17,100 ft), the site of the 1953 Everest Base Camp, and finishes in Namche Bazaar, with a 6 mile "Thamo loop" at the end to make the full marathon distance. The Tenzing Hillary Everest Marathon (2003 - present) starts at the current Everest Base Camp below the Khumbu ice fall and finishes in Namche Bazaar.
The original Everest Marathon, organised by a British trekking agency, has a UK charity fund (number 1005422) called the Everest Marathon Fund; participants have raised over half a million pounds to benefit health and educational projects in rural Nepal. The Tenzing Hillary Everest Marathon is organised by a Kathmandu trekking agency with support from the Nepal Tourism Board.
2010 saw the first ultra marathon (Everest Ultra) to be held from Gorak Shep to Lukla with a distance of 65 km.