At 19, Alan Zharikov conquers his Everest in Burgundy

His playground: the Philippe le Bon tower. Standing 46 metres tall with 316 steps, it rises in the heart of the Palace of the Dukes of Burgundy, a 15th-century Gothic landmark and symbol of ducal power. The tower offers panoramic views across the city. Starting at 7:30 a.m. on Thursday, September 17, 2026, he completed the challenge on Friday, September 18, after just over 24 hours of effort. In total, he made 200 round trips, surpassing his target of 8,850 metres of elevation gain, equivalent to around 3,015 flights climbed in 24 hours and 20 minutes. He had reached Everest’s equivalent in 23 hours and 50 minutes, but chose to keep going until he had completed 200 ascents.

I achieved what I set out to do, and I’m extremely proud. I finished in 23 hours and 50 minutes, but I kept going to round it up to 200 ascents.

A night with almost no sleep

Two seven-minute naps. Just 14 minutes of sleep in total over more than 24 hours. The young runner from Dijon admitted that the night was tough:

I hit a major low around 3 a.m. My legs didn’t want to move anymore and I felt awful, but I managed to get through it.

Despite having a bag of food looked after by his friends and consuming plenty of sugar, Alan Zharikov suffered several bouts of hypoglycemia. The challenge was particularly demanding, in an environment very different from a conventional trail race: the same view, the same stairs and descent repeated over and over, with no runnable section to recover on. After feeling dizzy on the first descents, Alan says he gradually entered a “flow state” as the challenge went on.

The Dijon runner prepared by scouting the route and following an intense training plan, including two key sessions: one with 5,000 metres of elevation gain on stairs and another with 3,000 metres while carrying 10 kg on his back.

A challenge with a purpose

There was more than performance at stake. Alan Zharikov set a fundraising target matching the number of metres he planned to climb: €8,850. Broadcast live on Twitch, the fundraiser brought in €500 for ImagineForMargo, an organisation fighting childhood cancer. The feat was streamed live on Twitch and across his social media channels, particularly Instagram. His friends handled the broadcast, taking turns so they could keep up with him.

This wasn’t his first unusual challenge: he has already cycled 150 km around Wilson Square and completed 4,500 lunges along the shores of Lake Kir. What’s next? Probably 42 km in the water, plus another idea he is keeping secret for now, this time somewhere near Paris.

After the relief of reaching the finish, he admitted: « I couldn’t take any more. I’d been pushing hard for 24 hours ». Already looking ahead, the young runner added: « See you at the next challenge». The date is set.