An Aussie Bloke Is Going To Run 52 Marathons In 52 Weeks This Year — All Wearing Costumes

An Aussie bloke named Alistair Kealty is undertaking the frankly insane feat of doing 52 marathons in 52 weeks in 2019.

Amongst marathon runners this isn’t that remarkable an accomplishment — the record in a year is 269(!) — but what sets him apart is that he intends to run every one in a different costume.

The idea comes from the desire to set Guinness world records, and a recognition that he’ll never run 270+ marathons in a single year.

Al explains on his website:

In 2019 I will be attempting to run 52 marathons, in 52 countries and set a Guinness world record in each one,”

“Inspired from races such as the London marathon, which encourage ordinary people to dress up and try to become Guinness world record holders…  I took up running properly in 2009 to run the Vancouver marathon.

“I only intended to do one, just to say I have done it. But I soon got hooked and shortly after heard about Larry Macon, a man in his 60´s who had run a world record 105 marathons in one year.

“I thought if he can manage something like that, why can’t I, though I never seriously looked into breaking a record at that time.

“Around 5 years later the world record for most marathons run in a year had jumped up to somewhere around 160.

“I then had the idea of 52 in 52 in 52 in 52. Why should I run 160+ marathons (the record is now 269) for one world record, when I could run 52 marathons and aim to break 52 Guinness world records!”

So far he’s done two marathons, missing the record for fastest marathon dressed as an astronaut at Neujahrs Marathon in Switzerland, and breaking the record for fastest marathon in a martial arts suit in the Maratona de Crevalcore in Italy.

He’s also recording regular video blogs — check out the one for Maratona de Crevalcore where he broke the martial arts suit world record here:

This weekend he’s going for the fastest record while handcuffed in the Doha Marathon in Qatar.

You can follow his process at his website, on Facebook, or on his Instagram.

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