Ultra-fit Galway man completes seven marathons on seven continents in five days

A ridiculously fit Galway ultra runner has just completed seven marathons in seven continents in less than five days.

Richard Donovan broke his own world marathon record after completing marathons in Antarctica, Cape Town, Sao Paolo, Orlando, Hong Kong and Sydney in a scarcely believable time of four days, 22 hours and three minutes.

Donovan began his epic round the world journey in temperatures of – 20C in the Russian Novo science base in Antarctica last Wednesday before flying over 27,000 miles and running nearly 200 more in an expedition funded entirely by himself in an effort to raise awareness of the humanitarian crisis in the Horn of Africa.

Donations raised online from Donovan’s trip will go to GOAL, who are working in the Horn of Africa region.

Donovan did the entire trip alone and carried only what he could fit in a single bag. He flew economy class throughout, and had to put up with wildly varying temperatures and different time zones as well battling the effects of sleep deprivation. Put simply, we wouldn’t have fancied being in his shoes, comfortable and cushioned and all as they undoubtedly were.

Diet was something of a problem for 45-year old Donovan on the trip, but he chanced a couple of beers during the marathon in Sydney.

"I was absolutely wrecked. I wasn't even able to keep down water," he said.

"We came to desperate measures in Sydney and I chanced a beer.''

"It was the first time something stayed down in days."

He’ll certainly sleep tonight.

Main pic via World Marathon Challenge/Facebook