No, that's not a scene from Forrest Gump — it's a photo from an actual marathon in the desert. With a 135 mile stretch, searing hot temperatures, and altitudes reaching as high as 8,300 feet, it's safe to say that the Badwater Ultramarathon is one of the most demanding footraces in the world.

The aptly dubbed ultramarathon takes place over a span of 48 hours, starting in California's Death Valley and ending in Mount Whitney, the highest summit in the United States.

This year, it will see 59 seasoned Badwater veterans and 38 rookies putting their legs to the test from July 28-30, taking on a distance that most of us wouldn't even attempt in cars, let alone on foot in a desert that is expected to see temperatures at a high of 113 degrees and lows of 80 degrees within the next few days.

The marathon's starting point, the eponymous Badwater Basin in Death Valley, marks the lowest elevation in North America, according to the National Park Service.

Badwater Ultramarathon's 2015 route.

Badwater is drawing competitors from "24 countries and 22 American states" this year, according to a pre-race press release. The competitors are made up of 29 women and 68 men, with the youngest runner being 22 years old (rookie entrant Breanna Cornell of Florence, AL), and the oldest being 80 (14-time competitor Jack Denness of Rochesteer, United Kingdom). In lieu of aid stations, runners rely on a support crew to help defend them against the elements.

The men's course record-holder is Valmir Nunez of Brazil with a time of 22:51:29 set in 2007, while the women’s course record of 26:16:12 was set in 2010 by Jamie Donaldson of Littleton, CO. There is no prize money, but those who finish in under 48 hours win the coveted Badwater 135 belt buckle.

The prize: a Badwater belt buckle. Image: Badwater http://www.badwater.com/blog/2015-badwater-135-pre-pr/

The marathon is so strenuous that the course was re-routed last year as Death Valley National Park suspended race permits to conduct safety reviews. Instead of its usual path, the race ran along Owens Valley, dozens of miles to the west.

Steve Maliszewski, who hails from Texas, finished in 28th place out of 100 in last year's competition with a time of 35 hours, 49 minutes, 58 seconds, and he's back at it again even after developing tendonitis in his right ankle.

"The Badwater portion is like having a hair dryer blowing in your face continuously," he told The Chron. "We wear long sleeves and wet them with ice water. [The cooling effect] doesn't last long because of the low humidity, but that's the best method of cooling, along with ice packs on the head and neck."

Jorge Pacheco, of Mexico, runs in Kiehl's Badwater Ultramarathon in Death Valley, Calif., Monday, July 23, 2007. Image: Chris Carlson/Associated Press

Maliszewski also told The Chron that he had to be helped to his car after the marathon.

"Everything you had, you spent all the way up to the finish line," he said. "I describe it as the most awful thing and the best thing of my life, all wrapped up in one."

Pete Kostelnick of Lincoln, Nebraska, had a similarly painful experience at the trek last year.

Upon finishing, he told Lincoln Journal Star, “I was excited, but I sat down and I about threw up. They immediately drove me back down to Lone Pine (California) and I went straight to sleep for a few hours. But then once I woke up, I was ready to celebrate. Yeah, it was tough.”

Tough it may be, but not tough enough to keep him from coming back.

Kostelnick told Lincoln Journal, “I really would like to compete for a top spot this year. Not getting under 30 hours was part of it. I was a little upset with that. It never even crossed my mind. I wanted to come back the second I finished. I guess I’m kind of addicted to the pain of ultramarathons.”

His strategy this year, he says, is to walk up the hills and save his energy to run the rest.

Gary Hilliard, 52, of Sierra Madre, Calif. starts Kiehl's Badwater Ultramarathon running with an American flag. Image: Chris Carlson/Associated Press

This year, however, he may not have to deal with quite as many obstacles — Badwater is back to its original route, with a few stipulations in place. Instead of getting a running start in the morning, participants will now be running in waves at 8:00 p.m., 9:30 p.m. and 11:00 p.m. to best avoid the triple-digit temperatures. The evening start also coincides with the full moon in order to best take advantage of visibility.

According to the press release, at least 50 of the competitors are pushing themselves for a charity of their choice, including Hope So Bright (a non-profit for disadvantaged youth) and Challenged Athlete Foundation (a charity providing grants to athletes with disabilities).

"I think ultimately, it's just [about] pushing myself and seeing what I'm capable of doing," Maliszewski told The Chron. "If you don't think it's possible, then likely you will never try.