Welcome to the World Marathon Challenge

**Richard has run 7 Marathons on 7 Continents in 5 days, 10 hours 8 minutes. See updates for more.**

 

The World Marathon Challenge is a logistical and physical challenge to become the first person to run seven marathons on seven continents in less than seven days.

 

Richard Donovan, an Irish international ultra runner, is scheduled to begin this effort on Saturday, 31st January 2009. He hopes to run the 42.2km distance (26.2 miles) in Antarctica, Africa, Asia, Europe, North America, South America and finally Australia, finishing on Thursday 5th February 2009. If all goes to plan, Richard will conclude the challenge approximately 5.5 days after he begins. During these 132 hours, he will spend 60 hours in the air; 12 hours from check-in to flights; and at least 18 hours disembarking from planes, receiving customs clearance and being transported to and from race locations.

 

He will run a total of 295km, or 183 miles, and fly 43,000km. He will bring one carry-on bag containing his gear, fly economy, and probably have no time to stay anywhere en route. His average daily running distance over the 5.5 days will be 54km.

 

In undertaking this challenge, Richard would like to draw attention to the GOAL charity's humanitarian work in Darfur. GOAL has been doing fantastic work in Darfur for more than 4 years and Richard supports its call for the deployment of an International Peacekeeping Force, which could offer protection to the hapless population, 400,000 of whom have died since this disaster started.

 

Runner's World magazine (UK) and its publishing editor Steven Seaton are supporting Richard's global effort. In addition, the Cape Town Marathon, Toronto Marathon, Dubai Half-Marathon, and Vina del Mar Marathon (Santiago) organisers have been extremely helpful in their logistical support. A special thanks also to Hugh Jones, secretary of the Association of International Marathons & Distance Races, for ensuring accurate measurement of a London course; and to Dave Cundy, official measurer of the Olympic Marathon route, for preparing a course in Sydney.

 

Mindful of the environment, Richard's carbon footprint has been calculated and offset by means of a payment to resource conservation via the CarbonNeutral Company. Please support GOAL's efforts in Darfur by donating to the humanitarian charity.