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Irishman runs seven marathons in five days around globe
(Agencies)
Updated: 2009-02-06 09:18 DUBLIN -- An Irish long-distance runner has completed a gruelling seven marathons on seven continents in less than six days, a charity chief said Thursday.
Richard Donovan, 42, from Galway in the west of Ireland, began his challenge in numbing sub-zero temperatures in Antarctica on January 31 and finished in Sydney just five days, nine hours and eight minutes later. "What he did was staggering, quite remarkable," said John O'Shea, founder and chief executive of third world charity GOAL, adding that the money raised would help the charity's work in Sudan's Darfur region. "It is extraordinary given the conditions and the time scale involved. I can't believe he managed it. I am in awe of what he achieved to bring attention to the tragedy of Dafur and to alleviate the suffering there. After starting in the Antarctic, Donovan got on a plane to South Africa and completed a marathon in Cape Town. He then flew to Dubai and did another one, completing three marathons in two days. Braving snow storms that shut down London on Monday, Donovan completed his fourth marathon there before going to Toronto in Canada for his fifth. Then it was on to Chile for a Santiago marathon and finally to Australia. Over 129 hours Donovan endured extreme temperatures and only slept in the economy class seats of airplanes between continents, said O'Shea. In total he ran 295 kilometers (183 miles) and flew tens of thousands of kilometres (miles). In 2002, Donovan became the first person in the world to run a marathon at both the North and South Poles. He now organises the northernmost marathon on earth, the North Pole Marathon, and the southernmost marathon on earth, the Antarctic Ice Marathon. Donovan has won the South Pole Marathon, the Inca Trail Marathon, the Everest Challenge Marathon, the Antarctic 100km and the Himalayan 100-Mile Stage Race. |
