Around the World in 7 Days?!?!
by George Diaz
Beth Reed wasn’t looking for a specific adventure, nor was she trying to check off a bucket list item. But something moved her when she read about a physical and logistical endurance event called the World Marathon Challenge.
A show of hands if you’ve ever run seven marathons in a seven-day window across seven continents? It was a unique challenge she couldn’t resist.
“I love to run,” says the 42-year-old Beth, who lives in Heathrow. “I had run more than 30 marathons at the time, and I love to travel. When I heard about this event, there was no question I was going to do this.”
Beth competed in the ninth annual World Marathon Challenge this past February, joining 56 other hearty and adventurous souls on an epic journey that began in Antarctica. The ensuing stops took them to Africa, Australia, Asia, Europe, South America, and North America in sequential order, with participants running the standard 42.2 kilometers per race.
Leader of the Pack
The goal wasn’t just to finish every race. That she did. You could also say Beth conquered the world. Competing against 16 other women in the pack, she placed first in each race, with an average time of 3:39:28.
Beth began the 777 competition, as it is called, in the chill of the Ultima Basecamp in Antarctica, finishing with a time of 4:04:51. She would conclude the challenge in the much warmer climate of Miami, Florida, crossing the finish line around 2:30 a.m. and celebrating into the wee hours by drinking champagne and eating cheeseburgers from a hotel food truck with her husband and mother-in-law.
Along the way, there were the expected moments of exuberance, coupled with exhaustion. The races took her through extreme weather conditions, including Antarctica’s harsh winds, Australia’s 97-degree heat, and Brazil’s thunderstorms. The schedule did not include much down time, although a looping course in Spain allowed her to enjoy wine and Manchego cheese after the race.
Otherwise, a typical relaxing moment involved grabbing a snooze on the chartered fights as the group traveled from continent to continent. Fortunately, the seats reclined.
“You have a big suitcase, and you have to carry on,” says Beth. “And you have to transition all the sweaty, gross stuff into plastic bags in your big suitcase and then get out what you need for the next day and switch out the carry on. It’s a whole process of showering, changing, getting ready for the next race, making sure you have all the gels, the right shoes, hats, jackets or whatever you might need.”
Competing was also a challenge on the pocketbook. The cost was around $50,000, including specialized charter flights, accommodations, and event support. Beth, who works in investor relations for a company based in Vancouver, Canada, had the money and means to participate. She works primarily from home and travels to Vancouver four or five times a year for her job.
Seize the Day
As Beth took her final strides in the last race of the challenge, she didn’t have any great epiphany, but there was most certainly an understanding of what the experience meant. Her takeaway for everyone, not just marathoners, is simple.
“Do things now,” says Beth. “One day we might not be able to. Our group had a whole discussion about this. It’s a good reminder to actually live and not just exist.”
Although Beth will treasure her World Marathon Challenge memories and the seven medals she earned, this was a once-in-a-lifetime experience.
“This is my first one and last,” she says. “Maybe I’ll climb a mountain or go somewhere exciting. This was probably the coolest, most fun, interesting, and adventurous thing I’ve done. But I think one and done is enough.”