Editing Marathon (section)

===Multiple marathons===
As marathon running has become more popular, some athletes have undertaken challenges involving running a series of marathons.

The [[100 Marathon Club]] is intended to provide a focal point for all runners, particularly from the United Kingdom or Ireland, who have completed 100 or more races of marathon distance or longer. At least 10 of these events must be United Kingdom or Ireland Road Marathons.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.100marathonclub.org.uk/ |title=100 Marathon Club |publisher=100 Marathon Club |access-date=12 September 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120909062215/http://www.100marathonclub.org.uk/ |archive-date=9 September 2012 |url-status=live}}</ref> Club chairman Roger Biggs has run more than 700 marathons or ultras. Brian Mills completed his 800th marathon on 17 September 2011.

Steve Edwards, a member of the 100 Marathon Club, set the world record for running 500 marathons in the fastest average finish time of 3 hours 15 minutes, at the same time becoming the first man to run 500 marathons with an official time below 3 hours 30 minutes, on 11 November 2012 at Milton Keynes, England. The records took 24 years to achieve. Edwards was 49 at the time.<ref>{{cite news|last=Trevallion|first=Lucy|title=New multi marathon world record|url=http://www.runnersworld.co.uk/news/new-multi-marathon-world-record/8929.html|access-date=14 November 2012|newspaper=Runner's World UK|date=13 November 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121116005437/http://www.runnersworld.co.uk/news/new-multi-marathon-world-record/8929.html|archive-date=16 November 2012|url-status=dead}}</ref>

Over 350 individuals have completed a marathon in each state of the United States plus Washington, D.C., and some have done it as many as eight times.<ref name=50D>[http://www.50anddcmarathongroupusa.com/finish1.cfm 50&DC Marathon Group U.S.A.] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071227230036/http://www.50anddcmarathongroupusa.com/finish1.cfm |date=27 December 2007 }}. Retrieved 11 April 2010.</ref> Beverly Paquin, a 22-year-old nurse from Iowa, was the youngest woman to run a marathon in all 50 states in 2010.<ref>[http://blogs.desmoinesregister.com/dmr/index.php/2010/10/20/mile-posts-and-now-the-rest-of-the-story-with-beverly-paquin/ Mile posts: And now the rest of the story with Beverly Paquin | Des Moines Register Staff Blogs] {{Webarchive|url=https://archive.today/20120712011349/http://blogs.desmoinesregister.com/dmr/index.php/2010/10/20/mile-posts-and-now-the-rest-of-the-story-with-beverly-paquin/ |date=12 July 2012 }}. Blogs.desmoinesregister.com (20 October 2010). Retrieved 19 April 2011.</ref> A few weeks later, still in 2010, Morgan Cummings (also 22) became the youngest woman to complete a marathon in all 50 states and DC.<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20101120064652/http://alum.mit.edu/pages/sliceofmit/2010/11/16/alumna-runs-50-marathons-in-50-states-and-d-c-sets-record/ Alumna Runs Marathons in 50 States and D.C., Sets Record! « Slice of MIT by the Alumni Association]. Alum.mit.edu (16 November 2010). Retrieved 19 April 2011.</ref> In 2004, Chuck Bryant of Miami, Florida, who lost his right leg below the knee, became the first amputee to finish this circuit.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.50anddcmarathongroupusa.com/accolades.cfm |title=Accolades |publisher=50anddcmarathongroupusa.com |access-date=22 August 2009 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090601175136/http://www.50anddcmarathongroupusa.com/accolades.cfm |archive-date= 1 June 2009 }}</ref> Bryant has completed a total of 59 marathons on his prosthesis. Twenty-seven people have run a marathon on each of the seven continents, and 31 people have run a marathon in each of the Canadian provinces. In 1980, in what was termed the [[Marathon of Hope]], [[Terry Fox]], who had lost a leg to cancer and so ran with one artificial leg, attained {{convert|5373|km|mi|abbr=on}} of his proposed cross-Canada cancer fundraising run, maintaining an average of over {{convert|37|km|mi|abbr=on}}, close to the planned marathon distance, for each of 143 consecutive days.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://archives.cbc.ca/IDD-1-69-71/life_society/terry_fox/ |title=CBC Archives: television and radio spots on Terry Fox |publisher=Canadian Broadcasting Corporation |access-date=22 August 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060614072650/http://archives.cbc.ca/IDD-1-69-71/life_society/terry_fox/ |archive-date=14 June 2006 |url-status=live}}</ref>

[[File:Kevin Counihan.jpg|thumb|left|Kevin Counihan (right), of the [[Achilles International|Achilles Track Club]], with his guide, running the 2011 Boston Marathon. He completed his 150th marathon at Boston in April 2014.]]
On 25 September 2011, Patrick Finney of Grapevine, Texas became the first person with multiple sclerosis to finish a marathon in each state of the United States. In 2004, "the disease had left him unable to walk. But unwilling to endure a life of infirmity, Finney managed to regain his ability to balance on two feet, to walk&nbsp;– and eventually to run&nbsp;– through extensive rehabilitation therapy and new medications."<ref>{{cite news|last=Richter|first=Marice|title=Multiple sclerosis patient finishes 50th marathon|url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-multiple-sclerosis-marathon-idUSTRE78P4HN20110926|access-date=26 September 2011|work=Reuters|date=26 September 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110927214518/http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/09/26/us-multiple-sclerosis-marathon-idUSTRE78P4HN20110926|archive-date=27 September 2011|url-status=live}}</ref>

In 2003, British adventurer Sir [[Ranulph Fiennes]] completed seven marathons on seven continents in seven days.<ref>{{cite news | url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/americas/3234479.stm |work=BBC News |title=Fiennes relishes marathon feat |date=3 November 2003 |access-date=26 April 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090527014129/http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/americas/3234479.stm |archive-date=27 May 2009 |url-status=live}}</ref> He completed this feat despite suffering from a heart attack and undergoing a double heart bypass operation just four months before.<ref>[https://www.theguardian.com/theguardian/2007/oct/05/features11.g21 I am not a madman] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170211130352/https://www.theguardian.com/theguardian/2007/oct/05/features11.g21 |date=11 February 2017 }}. Interview with Guardian, 5 October 2007</ref> This feat has since been eclipsed by Irish [[ultramarathon]] runner [[Richard Donovan (runner)|Richard Donovan]] who in 2009 completed seven marathons on seven continents in under 132 hours (five and a half days).<ref>[http://www.independent.ie/national-news/irishman-runs-rings-around-marathon-records-1630137.html Irish Independent retrieved 120812] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121018015001/http://www.independent.ie/national-news/irishman-runs-rings-around-marathon-records-1630137.html |date=18 October 2012 }}. Independent.ie (6 February 2009). Retrieved 18 April 2013.</ref> Starting 1 February 2012 he improved on this by completing the 7 on 7 in under 120 hours or in less than five days.<ref>[http://edition.cnn.com/video/?/video/sports/2012/02/28/ws-intv-ultramarathon-runner.cnn Interviewed on CNN] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120923120616/http://edition.cnn.com/video/?%2Fvideo%2Fsports%2F2012%2F02%2F28%2Fws-intv-ultramarathon-runner.cnn |date=23 September 2012 }}. Edition.cnn.com (28 February 2012). Retrieved 18 April 2013.</ref><ref>[http://www.worldmarathonchallenge.com/ Welcome to the World Marathon Challenge 2012] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120918041054/http://www.worldmarathonchallenge.com/ |date=18 September 2012 }}. Worldmarathonchallenge.com. Retrieved 18 April 2013.</ref>

On 30 November 2013, 69-year-old Larry Macon set a Guinness World Record for Most Marathons Run in a Year by Man by running 238 marathons. Larry Macon celebrated his 1,000th career marathon at the Cowtown Marathon in Ft. Worth on 24 February 2013.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.star-telegram.com/2013/02/24/4640610/a-san-antonio-runner-runs-and.html|date=24 February 2013|first=Leanne|last=Davis|title=Cowtown notes: San Antonio runner logs his 1,000th marathon|work=Fort Worth Star-Telegram|access-date=28 February 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131103203755/http://www.star-telegram.com/2013/02/24/4640610/a-san-antonio-runner-runs-and.html|archive-date=3 November 2013|url-status=live}}</ref>

Other goals are to attempt to run marathons on a series of consecutive weekends (Richard Worley on 159 weekends),<ref>{{Cite news | first=Kathy | last=Orton | title=Texan's Weekend Job Provides Great Benefits | date=27 October 2004 | url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A407-2004Oct26.html |newspaper=The Washington Post | pages=D4 | access-date=28 November 2007 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121107222854/http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A407-2004Oct26.html | archive-date=7 November 2012 | url-status=live}}</ref> or to run the most marathons during a particular year or the most in a lifetime. A pioneer in running multiple marathons was [[Sy Mah]] of Toledo, Ohio, who ran 524 before he died in 1988.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://fox.nstn.ca/%7Edblaikie/n14se98d.html |title=The Sy Mah Trophy honours a running legend |last=Blaikie |first=David |date=14 September 1998 |work=Ultramarathon World |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/19981203031709/http://fox.nstn.ca/~dblaikie/n14se98d.html |archive-date= 3 December 1998 |url-status=dead }}</ref> As of 30 June 2007, Horst Preisler of Germany had successfully completed 1214 marathons plus 347 ultramarathons, a total of 1561 events at marathon distance or longer.<ref>[http://100mc.de/statistik_30062008.html Gesamtstatistik zum 30.06.2008] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090221024020/http://100mc.de/statistik_30062008.html |date=21 February 2009 }}. 100mc.de (30 June 2008). Retrieved 18 April 2013.</ref> Sigrid Eichner, Christian Hottas and Hans-Joachim Meyer have also all completed over 1000 marathons each.<ref>[http://100mc.de/100mc.html 100 Marathon Club site (in German)] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090701071746/http://100mc.de/100mc.html |date=1 July 2009 }}. 100mc.de. Retrieved 18 April 2013.</ref> Norm Frank of the United States is credited with 945 marathons.<ref>[http://www.50anddcmarathongroupusa.com/megadivision.cfm 50 States & D.C. Marathon Group site] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071227230434/http://www.50anddcmarathongroupusa.com/megadivision.cfm |date=27 December 2007 }}. Retrieved 28 November 2007.</ref>

Christian Hottas is meanwhile the first runner who ever completed 2000 marathons. He ran his 2000th at TUI Marathon Hannover on 5 May 2013 together with a group of more than 80 friends from 11 countries, including 8 officers from the 100 Marathons Clubs U.K., North-America, Germany, Denmark, Austria and Italy.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.100marathonclub.at/?p%3D5207 |title=2000. Marathon von Christian Hottas – Mitglied der A-Eskorte &#124; 100 Marathon Club Austria |access-date=2013-06-17 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130629081643/http://www.100marathonclub.at/?p=5207 |archive-date=29 June 2013 }}. Retrieved 17 June 2013.</ref> Hottas completed his 2500th marathon on 4 December 2016.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Kramer|first1=Michael|title=Christian Hottas lief seinen 2.500sten Marathon|url=http://www.runnersworld.de/marathon/christian-hottas-lief-seinen-2-500sten-marathon.457120.htm|access-date=21 March 2017|work=[[Runner's World|Runner's World Deutschland]]|date=5 December 2016|language=de|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170322202726/http://www.runnersworld.de/marathon/christian-hottas-lief-seinen-2-500sten-marathon.457120.htm|archive-date=22 March 2017|url-status=live}}</ref>

In 2010, [[Stefaan Engels]], a Belgian, set out to run the marathon distance every day of the year. Because of a foot injury he had to resort to a [[handcycle]] near the end of January 2010. However, on 5 February he was fully recovered and decided to reset the counter back to zero.<ref>{{cite news|last=Dou|first=Eva|title=Belgian sets world record for marathon running|url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-belgium-marathonman-idUSTRE7192DL20110210|access-date=21 March 2017|work=Reuters|date=10 February 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170322111445/http://www.reuters.com/article/us-belgium-marathonman-idUSTRE7192DL20110210|archive-date=22 March 2017|url-status=live}}</ref> By 30 March he broke the existing record of Akinori Kusuda, from Japan, who completed 52 marathons in a row in 2009. On 5 February 2011, Engels had run 365 marathon distances in as many days.<ref>{{cite news|title=Belgian Stefaan Engels completes record 365th marathon|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-12375646|access-date=8 February 2011|publisher=BBC|date=5 February 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110208015646/http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-12375646|archive-date=8 February 2011|url-status=live}}</ref>
[[Ricardo Abad|Ricardo Abad Martínez]], from Spain, later ran 150 marathons in 150 consecutive days in 2009,<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.corredordefondo.com/2010/04/seres-sobrehumanos/ |title=Seres sobrehumanos |publisher=Corredor de fondo |access-date=29 September 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111008022128/http://www.corredordefondo.com/2010/04/seres-sobrehumanos/ |archive-date=8 October 2011 |url-status=live}}</ref> and subsequently 500 marathons in a row, from October 2010 to February 2012.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.runningtrip.com/2012/02/challenge-accomplished-500-marathons-in-500-days/ |title=Challenge accomplished: 500 marathons in 500 days |date=13 February 2012 |access-date=2012-08-22 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121027162738/http://www.runningtrip.com/2012/02/challenge-accomplished-500-marathons-in-500-days/ |archive-date=27 October 2012 }}</ref> 

In 2024, Belgian Hilde Dosogne ran a marathon every day of the year. On 31 December, the 55-year-old ran her 366th and last marathon, a record for a woman (accounting for 15,445 kilometres, 22 pairs of shoes and 15 falls).<ref>{{Cite web |date=31 December 2024 |title=42 kilometer lopen, eten, slapen, werken, herhalen… een jaar lang: Hilde (55) loopt laatste marathon uit en zet waanzinnig record neer |url=https://www.nieuwsblad.be/cnt/dmf20241231_92738993 |website=[[Het Nieuwsblad]] |language=nl}}</ref>

Some runners compete to run the same marathons for the most consecutive years. For example, [[Johnny Kelley]] completed 58 Boston Marathons (he entered the race 61 times).<ref>[[Johnny Kelley]]</ref>{{Circular reference|date=May 2018}}<ref>Litsky, Frank (8 October 2004) [https://www.nytimes.com/2004/10/08/sports/othersports/08kelley.html John A. Kelley, Marathoner, Dies at 97] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150528040723/http://www.nytimes.com/2004/10/08/sports/othersports/08kelley.html |date=28 May 2015 }}. ''[[The New York Times]]''. Retrieved 6 December 2009.</ref> Currently, the longest consecutive streak of Boston Marathon finishes—45 in a row—is held by Bennett Beach, of Bethesda, Maryland.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.runnersworld.com/races-places/a20849995/neil-weygandt-runner-with-longest-boston-streak-retires/|title=Runner With Longest Boston Streak Retires|first=Meghan|last=Kita|date=30 March 2012|website=Runner's World|access-date=7 May 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181106145946/https://www.runnersworld.com/races-places/a20849995/neil-weygandt-runner-with-longest-boston-streak-retires/|archive-date=6 November 2018|url-status=live}}</ref>