Last year, Munish Mohendroo sat in bed at his home in southwest Calgary recovering from a knee surgery, surfing the internet to find something to take his mind off things.
He came across the World Marathon Challenge, a test of physical endurance where runners complete seven marathons in seven consecutive days on seven different continents.
After exchanging a few messages with the race director, he signed up.
“I’ve run always casually for fitness and for fun. And so I thought when I turned 50 I should do something interesting,” he said in an interview with the Calgary Eyeopener.
“What better way to travel the seven continents than to run on each of them?”
He got back to Calgary after completing the trip just a few days ago, and surprisingly, he said he’s feeling fine.
“There were times during the race where I did, my body did hate me for doing this,” he said. “But you put training and effort into it and then your mind carries you through the rest.”
Global Running Adventures started putting the yearly event together in 2015. The group is known for organizing extreme running events in challenging and remote locations.
About 50 runners from across the world sign up to participate in either the full marathon or a half-marathon. They’re transported by chartered plane to Novo, Antarctica; Cape Town, South Africa; Perth, Australia; Dubai, UAE; Madrid, Spain; Fortaleza, Brazil; and Miami, United States.
WATCH | Munish Mohendroo tells the Calgary Eyeopener about his trip around the world:
Munish Mohendroo took part in the World Marathon Challenge, which requires runners to complete seven marathons on seven different continents in 168 hours. He told Calgary Eyeopener host Loren McGinnis about his adventure.
All flight carbon emissions are offset through the Carbonfund.org Foundation, according to the event website, as well as investments in forestry conservation projects in Brazil.
It’s about $60,000 to participate, which includes most flights, accommodation, food and the event organization in each city.
Participants spend about half of their time on the plane, Mohendroo said. They must complete each marathon within eight hours, although most finish in under six.
“You’re flying, running, getting ready to fly again, changing on the plane, getting ready to get off and run the next marathon. So it’s literally, your rest is on the plane or on the airport floors, wherever you can find some space.”
A winner is declared in both the men’s and women’s categories by the end of the trip.
Mohendroo didn’t take home the title, but he completed the circuit and, considering what runners are tasked with overcoming, it’s quite a feat.
Challenges along the way
The first stop on the journey is typically Antarctica.
That’s done strategically, according to the challenge website, as the location poses the most weather-related challenges.
Once they’re able to land the flight and begin the race, the 168-hour clock begins.
Mohendroo’s group started at the Novolazarevskaya air base on Jan. 31.
“They had planned a course where you just run around the runway, the ice runway, but when we got there, the weather kind of turned worse,” he said.
“They had to shorten it and it was just [an] out and back route, about two kilometres out and two kilometres back.”
Of course, participants had to run the track up and back until they reached the requisite 42 km.
“Temperatures weren’t bad, but the winds were terrible,” he said, adding it was still worth it. “I mean how many people can go to Antarctica, right? So I felt blessed just being there.”
The first few flights afterwards weren’t too painful. The long journeys to South Africa and Australia offered the group a decent amount of sleeping time, Mohendroo said.
But on the second half of the trip, the bursts of sleep become shorter. And to top it off, a stomach bug made its way through the group, leaving some participants fuelling themselves with just water and fruit, he said.
Through it all, Mohendroo said he always knew he would make it.
“The runners that were running with the stomach bug throwing up, you kind of look at them and say if they can do it, I have no reason to complain about my hamstring that might be sore,” he said.
“It was a very upbeat group … all the runners rallying around each other and supporting each other.”
‘Emotional experience’
There were several high points along the way, but nothing beat the final leg of the journey, Mohendroo said.
The last race took place in Miami on Feb. 6, where his wife flew out to run part of the marathon with him. It’s also where he posted his best time of all seven races.
“It was a very emotional experience … to see and understand how big an achievement this is,” said Mohendroo’s wife, Nayantara Kumar.
She and their three children kept up on Mohendroo’s progress through Facebook posts from the group and brief phone calls throughout the week.
“He has really been committed to his training, and it’s not just getting out there and running, it’s his sleep, it’s his nutrition … it’s just such a great group of people that just inspire you.”
At the end of the race, Mohendroo said he scarfed down the first thing he could find — a cold piece of pizza.
The ravenous hunger faded after a few days. But the memories of his trip around the world, pounding pavement, will last a lifetime.
“Coming back, spiritually and mentally, you do feel great about it because you’re like, ‘I stretched myself, and I now know how far I can reach.'”
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