Final yr, Munish Mohendroo sat in mattress at his house in southwest Calgary recovering from a knee surgical procedure, browsing the web to search out one thing to take his thoughts off issues.
He got here throughout the World Marathon Problem, a check of bodily endurance the place runners full seven marathons in seven consecutive days on seven totally different continents.
After exchanging a number of messages with the race director, he signed up.
“I’ve run all the time casually for health and for enjoyable. And so I believed once I turned 50 I ought to do one thing fascinating,” he stated in an interview with the Calgary Eyeopener.
“What higher option to journey the seven continents than to run on every of them?”
He received again to Calgary after finishing the journey only a few days in the past, and surprisingly, he stated he is feeling advantageous.
“There have been instances through the race the place I did, my physique did hate me for doing this,” he stated. “However you place coaching and energy into it after which your thoughts carries you thru the remaining.”
World Working Adventures began placing the yearly occasion collectively in 2015. The group is thought for organizing excessive working occasions in difficult and distant areas.
About 50 runners from the world over signal as much as take part in both the complete marathon or a half-marathon. They’re transported by chartered airplane to Novo, Antarctica; Cape City, South Africa; Perth, Australia; Dubai, UAE; Madrid, Spain; Fortaleza, Brazil; and Miami, United States.
WATCH | Munish Mohendroo tells the Calgary Eyeopener about his journey all over the world:
Munish Mohendroo took half within the World Marathon Problem, which requires runners to finish seven marathons on seven totally different continents in 168 hours. He informed Calgary Eyeopener host Loren McGinnis about his journey.
All flight carbon emissions are offset via the Carbonfund.org Basis, in response to the occasion web site, in addition to investments in forestry conservation tasks in Brazil.
It is about $60,000 to take part, which incorporates most flights, lodging, meals and the occasion group in every metropolis.
Contributors spend about half of their time on the airplane, Mohendroo stated. They have to full every marathon inside eight hours, though most end in underneath six.
“You are flying, working, on the point of fly once more, altering on the airplane, on the point of get off and run the following marathon. So it is actually, your relaxation is on the airplane or on the airport flooring, wherever you could find some area.”
A winner is asserted in each the lads’s and ladies’s classes by the top of the journey.
Mohendroo did not take house the title, however he accomplished the circuit and, contemplating what runners are tasked with overcoming, it is fairly a feat.
Challenges alongside the best way
The primary cease on the journey is usually Antarctica.
That is performed strategically, in response to the problem web site, as the placement poses probably the most weather-related challenges.
As soon as they’re in a position to land the flight and start the race, the 168-hour clock begins.
Mohendroo’s group began on the Novolazarevskaya air base on Jan. 31.
“That they had deliberate a course the place you simply run across the runway, the ice runway, however once we received there, the climate sort of turned worse,” he stated.
“They needed to shorten it and it was simply [an] out and again route, about two kilometres out and two kilometres again.”
After all, members needed to run the observe up and again till they reached the requisite 42 km.
“Temperatures weren’t dangerous, however the winds had been horrible,” he stated, including it was nonetheless price it. “I imply how many individuals can go to Antarctica, proper? So I felt blessed simply being there.”
The primary few flights afterwards weren’t too painful. The lengthy journeys to South Africa and Australia provided the group a good quantity of sleeping time, Mohendroo stated.
However on the second half of the journey, the bursts of sleep turn out to be shorter. And to high it off, a abdomen bug made its method via the group, leaving some members fuelling themselves with simply water and fruit, he stated.
By way of all of it, Mohendroo stated he all the time knew he would make it.
“The runners that had been working with the abdomen bug throwing up, you sort of have a look at them and say if they will do it, I’ve no cause to complain about my hamstring that may be sore,” he stated.
“It was a really upbeat group … all of the runners rallying round one another and supporting one another.”
‘Emotional expertise’
There have been a number of excessive factors alongside the best way, however nothing beat the ultimate leg of the journey, Mohendroo stated.
The final race passed off in Miami on Feb. 6, the place his spouse flew out to run a part of the marathon with him. It is also the place he posted his greatest time of all seven races.
“It was a really emotional expertise … to see and perceive how large an achievement that is,” stated Mohendroo’s spouse, Nayantara Kumar.
She and their three kids saved up on Mohendroo’s progress via Fb posts from the group and temporary telephone calls all through the week.
“He has actually been dedicated to his coaching, and it is not simply getting on the market and working, it is his sleep, it is his vitamin … it is simply such a terrific group of those that simply encourage you.”
On the finish of the race, Mohendroo stated he scarfed down the very first thing he might discover — a chilly piece of pizza.
The ravenous starvation pale after a number of days. However the recollections of his journey all over the world, pounding pavement, will final a lifetime.
“Coming again, spiritually and mentally, you do really feel nice about it since you’re like, ‘I stretched myself, and I now know the way far I can attain.'”
