A woman in Ghent, Belgium ran a marathon every day last year, totaling over 366 runs and covering a distance of more than 15,000 kilometers. She is expected to break the Guinness World Record.
Hilde Dosogne, a 55-year-old woman, ran a marathon every day in 2024, covering at least 15,444 kilometers, according to reports from the Associated Press. She attempted to challenge the Guinness World Record while also raising around 60,000 euros ($62,438) for breast cancer research.
The marathon is an official Olympic event with a length of 42.195 kilometers. To reduce statistical risks and facilitate the measurement of the Guinness World Record, Dosogne ran a distance of 42.5 kilometers each day.
As a bioengineer at a chemical company, Dosogne woke up early every day so she could find time in the afternoon to participate in marathons. Unable to run at full speed every day, she maintained a relaxed pace of 10 kilometers per hour, allowing friends and spectators to join her.
Dosogne completed most of her marathons on a flat road surrounding a water body outside Ghent. There, strong headwinds may have been her most challenging opponent.
She told the Associated Press, “The mental pressure is greater than the physical pressure. Of course, everything has to be okay physically. Otherwise, you wouldn’t be able to run for four hours every day.” However, she also mentioned that standing at the starting line every day relied more on mental strength.
Throughout the year, her daughter Lucie only once felt she might not be able to finish a marathon. On that day, after falling at 27 kilometers and dislocating her finger, Dosogne had to be rushed to the emergency room, where she stayed too long to complete the marathon distance. So, she started running it all over again.
On December 31, the final day, when she reached the finish line, the crowd welcomed her. Despite seeming a bit tired, she was not completely exhausted. She said, “I am glad it’s over.”
Next, Dosogne will submit data from the Global Positioning System (GPS), photos, videos, and other evidence, along with testimonials from independent witnesses, to the Guinness World Records for review. If approved, she will officially become the new female record holder within three months.
The current male record holder is Brazilian Hugo Farias, who set the record for running marathons consecutively for 366 days in São Paulo on August 28, 2023.
In the female category, the current world record for consecutive days is 150, set by Erchana Murray-Bartlett from Australia.