Man Completes 7 Marathons in 7 Days Across 7 Continents
Reg Willick, 62, conquers an incredible marathon challenge worldwide
Reg Willick, Spiritwood, Saskatchewan, Antarctica, Cape Town, Perth, Istanbul, Cartagena, Miami
Spiritwood: Reg Willick just pulled off something wild. He ran seven marathons in seven days on seven continents! At 62, he says it was the toughest thing he’s ever done.
On November 21, 2024, he finished 19th out of 60 in the Great World Race. His goal? Just to finish each race without getting hurt and be ready for the next one.
Willick got into long-distance running after his first marathon in Regina 12 years ago. He ended up running all six major marathons in cities like Boston and New York.
Then he found the Great World Race and thought, why not? Once he put down his deposit, he was all in. Training was intense since there were no breaks between races.
His first marathon was in Antarctica, which he loved, even though it was freezing. He said it was around -15 to -16 F, but the sun made it beautiful. Coming from Saskatchewan, he was used to the cold.
After Antarctica, he raced in Cape Town, Perth, and Istanbul, before facing the toughest race in Cartagena, Colombia, where it was a scorching 35 C with 91% humidity.
Willick said that was the hardest thing he’s ever done, and everyone else felt the same way. The final race took them to Miami, where he wrapped up the challenge.
With all the traveling and racing, there was hardly any time to rest. Airplanes became their makeshift bedrooms. They ate well and stayed hydrated, but the lack of sleep was brutal.
He mentioned that it felt more like an endurance race than just a marathon. By the end, they were running on little sleep and adrenaline. You can’t really train for that!
Now that he’s done, Willick feels great and is back to running 5K races. He says this 7-7-7 marathon is a once-in-a-lifetime thing, and he doesn’t plan on doing it again.