The 100 Marathon Club is one of the world’s most exclusive clubs: six times more people have scaled Everest than belong to it. All it takes to qualify for entry is having run the equivalent of from London to Tehran – over 4,300km/2,672 miles. Once that milestone’s been reached, members have earned the right to wear a specially designed blue-and-yellow vest. ‘The 100 Marathon Club aims to remain elite – due to the entry criteria – but isn’t elitist,’ says Davey Green, the club’s chairman. ‘Although we have many record breakers among us, our club’s ethos is all about the milestone of completing the distance. We have members of all ages, from all over the UK, and we aim to encourage more qualifying events to be staged across the country in order to make possible what used to be seen as impossible.’
Here, a few of its 770 members reveal what they’ve learned in running over 100 marathons, give their top running tips and share the secrets of their success…
INCREDIBLE ACHIEVEMENT
‘Running 100 marathons was an amazing achievement when I did it as you had to travel all over the country and world to accomplish it. It’s a lot easier now because there are so many events around, you can run a marathon every day if you want to,’ says Gina Little, 74, who’s completed 576 marathons. The Berlin Marathon, which I ran in September, is probably my favourite: I’ve done it 30 times.
This story is from the January 2020 edition of Outdoor Fitness Adventure.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the January 2020 edition of Outdoor Fitness Adventure.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
Get Confident In The Mountains
Taking a Mountain Leader course isn’t just for those who want to do it for a living – if you enjoy exploring the mountains, you’ll feel more confident and safer if you undertake this training.
15 Ways To Be A Better Runner
Whether you’re hoping to run faster, further or simply increase your motivation, Christina Neal has these top tips on how to improve your running
PUTTING THE TRAINING HOURS IN
Are your training goals ambitious? How can you find time to work out when you have a busy job and a family, yet want to train hard and long? Personal trainer Jeff Archer has some advice on finding the right balance
SECRETS OF THE 100 MARATHON CLUB
Just how do the members of this small but high ly prestigious club, some of whom have run over 500 marathons, race 26.2 miles or more, week in, week out? Lisa Jackson finds out
HIKING HOLIDAYS TO BOOST MENTAL HEALTH
While hiking is a wonderful way to get fit, it is also noted for its benefits for mental wellbeing.
‘I CLIMBED MY WAY OUT OF DEPRESSION'
Thomas Palmer was suffering from anxiety and felt unable to leave the house. Then, he was inspired to climb multiple mountains despite having no previous climbing experience. He tells Christina Neal how he turned his life around…
DON'T BE A FAIR-WEATHER CYCLIST
British pro cyclist Alex Dowsett, a six-time national time trial champion and former hour world record holder, reveals how to stay motivated to keep cycling in winter.
MICRO-RUNNING ADVENTURES
You don’t have to go on a grand expedition to have fun on the run – here are quirky ways to rev up your running mojo that will add a dash of excitement to your training.
DARK SKY ADVENTURES
locations are areas where the sky at night is unaffected by light pollution from big cities, enabling us to have a much clearer view of the stars Angela Youngman explains where they are and how to combine viewing them with outdoor exercise
BRAVING THE WATER IN WINTER
We often associate surfing with summer, but many UK surfers happily do it all year round. With the right kit and a little winter sun, it’s an invigorating and fun activity, says Ruth Pocock