Who Is Ayyoub 'Ello' El Osrouti? German Ultrarunner Who Ran 623km in 93 Hours

Ayyoub 'Ello' El Osrouti has drawn international attention after running roughly 623km over 93 hours at Germany's Last Soul Ultra in August 2026.

The German ultrarunner completed 93 consecutive 6.7km loops in the backyard ultra race before his legs gave out on the 94th. Although he was officially recorded as a DNF (Did Not Finish) for failing to complete that final loop, his 93-loop effort secured second place behind American Mark Dowdle and marked a major breakthrough in his ultra-running career.

Who Is Ayyoub 'Ello' El Osrouti?

El Osrouti, known by the nickname 'Ello', is a German ultrarunner associated with the Düsseldorf area. He was around 27 years old in 2026 and has emerged as a specialist in extreme endurance events, particularly the increasingly popular backyard ultra format.

His athletic background also includes conventional road running. His World Athletics profile lists a half-marathon personal best of 1:11:16, recorded in April 2026.

However, his most notable performances have increasingly come over distances far beyond the traditional marathon.

How Ayyoub El Osrouti Ran 623km in 93 Hours

The Last Soul Ultra took place in the Fürsten Forest near Fürstenau, Lower Saxony, with 169 runners initially entering the backyard-style race.

The format is brutally simple. Competitors must complete a loop of approximately 6.7km within one hour before returning to the starting line for the next loop. The process repeats until a runner fails to finish a loop on time.

For El Osrouti, that meant completing one loop every hour for 93 consecutive hours.

Ninety-three completed loops amounted to approximately 623km, meaning he spent almost four days repeatedly running through the forest with only the race format's limited recovery period between starts.

By the time the field was reduced to two, El Osrouti and Dowdle were effectively locked in an endurance duel.

Mark Dowdle Beat El Osrouti By One Loop

American ultrarunner Mark Dowdle ultimately became the Last Soul Ultra winner after completing 94 loops, equivalent to roughly 630km.

El Osrouti attempted the 94th loop but could no longer maintain the required pace.

Footage circulating online showed the German runner repeatedly struggling before eventually collapsing and lying exhausted on the grass. Unable to complete the loop within the one-hour limit, he was eliminated.

That meant El Osrouti officially registered a DNF, despite finishing second and completing 93 loops.

Furthermore, the performance El Osrout represented a striking improvement on his previous Last Soul Ultra appearance.

In the 2025 edition, El Osrouti finished second after completing 66 loops. A year later, he increased that total to 93 — an additional 27 loops and approximately 181km more.

The jump has helped establish him as one of Germany's notable emerging ultrarunners.

What Happens After Running 623km?

The physical aftermath was substantial. El Osrouti has spoken about the recovery required following the race, including icing, physiotherapy, acupuncture and consuming large amounts of food.

The extreme effort also gave him a much wider audience after footage of his final moments spread beyond specialist ultra-running circles.

The Last Soul Ultra was more than just a second-place result for El Osrouti. The German ultrarunner from Düsseldorf is now gained international attention for his 93-loop, 623-kilometre performance.