About Us
Since 2012, GlobalLimits has committed to organising multi-stage races (6 stages, 200+/- km) that everyone has the opportunity to shape their own race the way they want to enjoy/endure it.
We are here to provide the meticulously selected running trails, spectacular cultural backdrops, safety measures and the opportunity to meet like-minded people. And of course, unforgettable experiences.
You do not need to carry your supplies. Focus on the trail and the experience. We carry your supplies from campy to camp. We organise, you run.
Our races are committed to the 3S principles: Sustainability, Social commitment and Sportsmanship exchange.
Sustainability
GlobalLimits is a company that supports sustainability. Our small and professional team ensures the minimal carbon footprints and in setting up races aboard. We also facilitate and encourage our participants to learn about local cultures and its people.
Social commitment
We engage with the local communities, work with the local service providers and employ locals to bring direct economic impacts to the communities. We also support various social program that bring positive impacts.
Sportsmanship exchange
We have a program to inviting local running talents to participate in all our race locations. Through this program, local athletes could experience first hand endurance races, showcase their talents and exchange both sports and cultural experiences with our participants.
Join our races - with our four race locations, you are going to find a challenge that you want to shape. We have no Limits!

Stefan Betzelt / Founder and CEO of GlobalLimits
Stefan was born and lives in Wiesbaden/Germany. He founded GlobalLimits in 2012. Stefan has a wealth of extreme racing experience, having participated in many of the most gruelling ultra racesaround the world. He also participated in about 20 city-marathons (2:46) and successsfully climbed the Kilimanjaro and the Mount Aconcagua.
Stefan has visited more than 101 countries and learnt a great deal about different cultures and people. He now makes use of this experience to select outstanding and unique locations for the GlobalLimits races.
Stefan has worked as a managing director for some of the leading global financial institutions before he retired in 2006 to become a self employed financial and personnel consultant but now is full time focused on GlobalLimits.
Stefan is also a member of the Curatoship of the Institute of Sports Medicine in Frankfurt/Germany.
Nathan Montague/Great Britain - Course Director
Nathan is a father of two beautiful girls, Teacher, Coach and aspiring International athlete. Having competed for his country on multiple occasions in Ultra distance he is continually pushing the boundaries of his own perceived limitations and relish the challenge of this unique sport which tests our resolve every time we dare take the start line. Having competing in some amazing places around the world he is aiming to push himself in international competition on both the trails, mountains and the roads including 24hour racing and the Multi-day stage races. He has competed and achieved success across the UK with numerous course records and wins in national competitions on the trails and roads in ultras in addition to races international, including the Mt Goaligong Ultra in China, KAEM in South Africa and GlobalLimits won GlobalLimits Sri Lanka 2016, GlobalLimits Sao Tomé in 2022 and GlobalLimits Cambodia 2023. He relishs competing for his country and his short term targets include making the national team in 24 hour racing and the Ultra Gobi 400km in September 2017 + 2018.
Nathan is also the training advisor for GlobalLimits.
Nathan already served as a course marker in GlobalLimits Albania 2017, 2018 and 2020 as well as in Bhutan 2019 and 2023.

Ryan Paterson, Denver/USA - Medical Director
Dr. Ryan Paterson attended the University of Vermont School of Medicine and completed his Emergency Medicine Residency and Fellowship in Wilderness/Altitude/Expedition Medicine at Denver Health Medical Center/University of Colorado. He also holds advanced certifications in Tropical Medicine from the London School of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene (DTM&H) and in Mountain Medicine (DiMM). He is a practicing Emergency Physician for Kaiser Permanente at St Joseph’s Hospital in Denver, Colorado.
Dr. Paterson serves as co-course director for the Wilderness Medical Society and Universities of Colorado and Utah’s Diploma in Mountain Medicine Course (DiMM). He is the current United States delegate to the International Society of Mountain Medicine (ISMM). Currently, Dr. Paterson is working, in partnership with CU South Denver to develop a Wilderness Medicine for Kids program utilizing an original curriculum. He also serves as medical director for No Barriers and another non-profit (Kolkata City Mission) working to establish sustainable development solutions in education, health, women’s empowerment, micro-enterprise and public-health for informal communities in and around Kolkata, India.
Ryan already served as a race medical director at GlobalLimits Cambodia 2016, 2022 and Bhutan 2017, 2018, 2019, 2023, Albania 2018, 2020 and Sao Tome 2020, 2021, 2022 and 2023.

Mia Derstine, Denver/USA - Race Doctor
Dr. Mia Derstine is an emergency medicine physician with UCHealth at Highlands Ranch Hospital. She did her residency at the University of Chicago. She then did a Wilderness and Environmental Medicine Fellowship at the University of Colorado, where she is now the associate fellowship director. Her academic interests include women in the wilderness, education, and plant toxicology. She has experience with flight medicine, international medical transport, austere medicine at Summit Camp in Greenland, and ultramarathon medicine in Mongolia. She is currently the co-chair for the Wilderness Medical Society summer conferences. Her preferred vacation is walking for days on end with a (kind of) heavy backpack. You can otherwise find her at home in Denver with her husband and pup Ginger.
Mia already served as a race doctor at GlobalLimits Cambodia in 2023.

Brian Derstine, Denver/USA - Volunteer
Brian is a data scientist with the Morphomic Analysis Group at the University of Michigan. When he's not at work analyzing CT imaging data using machine learning, he's either working on a DIY home improvement project, or participating in one of his other hobbies - cycling, skiing, fly fishing, bouldering, hiking, and camping. Otherwise he's at home in Denver with his wife and dog Ginger.

Sarah Siebert, Berlin/Germany - Volunteer
Sarah lives and works in Berlin and enjoys running, traveling, and making the most of her gym membership. On occasion, she can be found hiking through the Albanian alps, the Amalfi coast in Italy, or the Troodos mountains in Cyprus.
Over the years, Sarah has volunteered at numerous races, putting her professional experience as a Supply Chain Manager to good use. She joined the GlobalLimits crew in 2024.
Geoff Hardy, Auckland/New Zealand - Volunteer

Stefan Schlett/Germany - Volunteer
Stefan is a life long adventurer and celebrates the art of extreme-sports since the age of 19. After school he worked 4 years as an retail salesman, before he joined the German army for 5 years as an paratrooper. The army service functioned as an exit from normal life and after that he never came back to a ordinary life. As a ‘freelance-adventurer‘ and freelance writer he was a Pioneer in extreme-sport in Germany. He was the first German participant in several events famous at the time in the ultra-scene (e.g. Western States Endurance Run, Badwater Race, Grand Raid, Sri Chinmoy 1300 mile run, Marathon des Sables, Tough Guy etc.) and made these events known in Germany through his publications. At the end of the 80s, he set a dozen German records in the street run, from the 6-day to the 1300-mile run, as well as in the deca triathlon (tenfold Ironman), which he would hold for a decade. At his most active times he practiced the following disciplines: ultrarunning, skydiving, mountain-climbing, triathlon, inline-skating, ice swimming, kayaking, staircase running, swimrun, obstacle races, mountain-biking.
Noteworthy Accomplishments:
- 507 Ultras + 209 Marathons in 67 countries, totally more than 2000 competitions in 97 countries
- Former World Records: Marathon and 50k on a cruise ship; treadmill – 111k in 11:11 hrs; Run Up automatic downhill-escalator – 21.403 stairs/5000 m altitude; Ultramarathon in the underground (700 m below the surface in a salt mine)
- First human to traverse 4 continents (three by foot, one by mountain bike) by human power, under competition rules: Trans-America-Footrace from Los Angeles to New York 1992, Trans-Australia-Footrace from Perth to Canberra 2001, Trans-Europe-Footrace from Lisbon to Moscow 2003, Tour d’Afrique from Cairo to Capetown 2005
- Climbing: highest mountains in 45 countries and 5 continents; highest mountain: Pik Lenin/7134 m in the Pamir Range
- 496 skydives all over the world, including one at the Northpole
- Travelling: roughly 120 countries travelled, 400 islands visited, 400 mountains climbed
Stefan already served as a volunteer in GlobalLimits Albania and Sao Tomé.
Breaking News
Breaking News
GlobalLimits Peaks of the Balkans is for 80% fully booked. What are you waiting for?

