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/Germany - 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 races around the world. He also participated in about 20 city-marathons (PB 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.

Daniel Meyes, Zürich/Switzerland - Course Director

Daniel is a passionated multisport athletes coming from Zürich, who loves to be in nature. When traveling he tries to combine his activities with all kind of outdoor sports such as running, mountain biking, kayaking or rock climbing. Daniel is a frequent starter in international desert or mountain ultra races, triathlons and other multi-sport events.
He successfully completed the inaugural GlobalLimits events Cambodia 2012, Sri Lanka 2015, Albania 2017, Sao Tome 2020 and finished all of them in the Top 6.
In 2013 he already volunteered at GlobalLimits Bhutan and in 2016 in Cambodia.
Now Daniel makes use of his excellent knowledge of the course in Cambodia and the needs of the runners when navigating.

Dr 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 and Bhutan 2017, 2018, 2019, Albania 2018 and Sao Tome 2020, 2021 & 2022

Erin Drasler/USA - Race Doctor

Dr. Erin Drasler practices Emergency Medicine in Denver, CO. She trained in Wilderness and Expedition medicine at the University of Colorado and is completing her Diploma in Mountain Medicine. She currently serves as medical director for Colorado Outward Bound and teaches multiple wilderness medicine courses through the University of Colorado.

As an athlete and avid ultrarunner herself, she has competed in multiple races including the Leadville 100 and the Rocky Raccoon 100 and most of all she is the overall winner of GlobalLimits Albania in 2022. She is passionate about patient care, running, mountains, wilderness, rock climbing, travel and family.

Erin already served as a medical doctor at GlobalLimits Bhutan in 2019.

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.

Geert Meese, Tielt/Belgium - Volunteer

Geert is a Belgian medic who decided to work a little bit less and spending  more time doing his passions: multi stage racing ( 100 km del Sahara, Marathon des Sables , Grand to Grand ….) , marathon racing , or volunteering in multi stage races ( Spain, Portugal, Oman …). a passion he sheares with his wife.
If not working or racing , his time is spend abroad with a high preference for unbeaten tracks in Asia or South America.  Always enthusiastic  to help participants to make their dreams come true.

Geert already served as a volunteer for GlobalLimits in Cambodia 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, Bhutan 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, Albania 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020 and Sao Tome 2022..

Sheena Sheikh Freyer - Kuala Lumpur/Malaysia - Volunteer

Sheena Sheikh is a Personal Trainer, Stretch Specialist and Mat Pilates Instructor, based in Kuala Lumpur.

With a passion for travel, attending and organising events, combined with an innate talent for helping people, Sheena has been able to combine these elements into a most enjoyable "part-time" retirement career. Sheena has hosted the best tennis players of our generation, at nearly 30 different tennis events in Asia on the ATP, WTA, Champions Tour as well as at Special Events.

Prior to her tennis event involvement, she volunteered at Mild Seven Outdoor Quest, Adventure Race, China - 1998-2002, Mild Seven Outdoor Quest, Adventure Race, Malaysia - 2003-2006 and M2M Ultra Race, Ultra Endurance Running Race, Hawaii - 2017

When she is not coaching, she finds time to climb the wall, ride her bike, swim, kayak, read and learn something new.

Bernd Nordhausen – Singapore - Volunteer

Bernd has been an aspiring ultra marathoner for 15 years having completed stage races in Sahara, Oxfam Trailwalker Sydney, Moontrekker Hong Kong, and several regional races around SE Asia. Most recently he completed Global Limits Bhutan - The Last Secret. These days he just aspires to finish and spends more of his time volunteering including races in Namibia, Nepal, Vietnam, and Finland, and crewing a friend at Tor des Géants.
Originally from Germany, Bernd has called Singapore his home for more than half of his life, and is now in official semi-retirement.

Franck Touch/Cambodia - Volunteer

Franck is an IT consultant and has lived in Cambodia for over 20 years. 

Former triathlete in his youth and having done all the road races in Cambodia, now at 56, he is interested in the country's ultra-trails (64 km, 100 km, 128 km).  He is therefore familiar with the characteristics of Cambodian races and more particularly of ultra-trails.

When running it is important for him to participate, have fun and never give up even if he finish in the last.

Franck was a runner in 3 of GlobalLimits Cambodia races in the the last years and knows the course and the needs of the runners first hand.