7 Marathons • 7 Continents • 7 Days
The Organisers
Marathon Clubs
Global Running Adventures
The World Marathon Challenge ® is organised by Global Running Adventures
Global Running Adventures works with a network of associate specialists, including the world's foremost logistics experts, to deliver world class events in the most remote parts of the planet.
Global Running Adventures embodies 'Survival of the Farthest' ®
How far can you run, how far can you push yourself, how far away to earth's extremes are you prepared to travel?
Global Running Adventures has been delivering world class running experiences in the most challenging and remote locations on the planet for almost two decades.
Whether it's the world's northernmost marathon, the world's southernmost marathon, the world's highest desert marathon, or the ultimate World Marathon Challenge, it's about survival of the farthest.
We established the World's Coolest Marathon ®, the North Pole Marathon ®, where you can become one of a truly select few to race at the top of the world - at the Geographic North Pole. In this location, you can feel on top of the world if you manage to overcome the intense sub-zero temperatures to finish 26.2 miles at one of earth's farthest extremes.
The Antarctic Ice Marathon ® at the opposite end of the planet was also set up by Global Running Adventures, providing competitors with underfoot conditions of snow and ice throughout, an average wind chill temperature of -20C, and the possibility of strong Katabatic winds on the frozen continent.
Lying between these far polar extremes is the Atacama Desert, the driest place on earth, and the location for the Volcano Marathon ®. Can you handle the extremes of 14,600 ft altitude and high temperatures to finish one of the most scenic marathons in the world in Chile, South America?
The amazing World Marathon Challenge ® allows competitors to push themselves to the limit in both individual and team competitions. The first marathon of this '7 Marathons 7 Continents 7 Days' trip begins at Novo (Antarctica) and is followed by marathons on consecutive day in Cape Town (Africa), Perth (Australia), Dubai (Asia), Madrid (Europe), Fortaleza (South America) and Miami (North America), all conducted within 168 hours from start to finish.
However far you want to go, Global Running Adventures is the answer.
Richard Donovan - Event Director
Richard has participated in many extreme locations around the planet including the Arctic and Antarctica, the Sahara and Atacama Deserts, the Andes and Himalayan mountains and the Amazon Jungle. He has represented Ireland at international level in ultrarunning and has won the Inca Trail Marathon, Himalayan 100-Mile Stage Race, Antarctic 100k, Everest Challenge Marathon and South Pole Marathon. He has also run across three continents.
In 2012, Richard set a world record for running marathons on all seven continents when completing a solo world marathon challenge in 4 days 22 hours 3 minutes. In the summer of 2015, he ran 3,200 miles across the USA from San Francisco to New York in the Trans North America Run and in 2016 he completed a 3,000 km Trans Europe Run from Istanbul to Rotterdam, which was followed by an 1800 km Trans South America Run in 2017.
Richard has been an organiser and Race Director of Home Nations Championships, Commonwealth Championships and World Championships. In 2009, he was Race Director at both the Anglo Celtic Plate ('Home Nations' 100km) and the Commonwealth Championships 100km at road running. In 2011, he was organiser and Race Director of the IAU Trail World Championships where he was awarded an Order of Merit by the International Association of Ultra Runners for impeccable organisation. Richard was subsequently appointed Race Director at the inaugural Commonwealth Championships at Trail Running.
Richard held the post of Chairman of UltraRunning Ireland from 2005-2012 before being elected to the position of Executive Director of the International Association of Ultra Runners, the world governing body for the sport.
Leading international magazines have published feature length interviews and reports on Richard's adventure race performances. He has also featured in various documentaries, including the world syndicated BBC programme 'Desert: The Challenge', which was narrated by Mike Stroud. In 2012, a one-hour documentary by TV Globo on the Antarctic Ice Marathon & 100k event was nominated for an International Emmy Award.
A former consultant economist, Richard was educated in Ireland and the USA and received postgraduate academic scholarships in both countries. His brother Paul was a two-time Olympian, World Indoor silver medallist and multiple US collegiate champion on the track.
Other Personnel
Numerous personnel work on projects for Global Running Adventures throughout the year, including some of the world's top sports photographers, videographers and medics.
World Marathon Challenge
The World Marathon Challenge ® is a logistical and physical challenge to run seven marathons on seven continents in seven days. Competitors must run the standard 42.2 km marathon distance in Antarctica, Africa, Australia, Asia, Europe, South America and North America within 168 hours, or 7 days. The clock starts when the first marathon begins in Antarctica.
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