Belgian extremely runner Hilde Dosogne, heart, is cheered on as she crosses the end line throughout her 366th consecutive marathon in Ghent, Belgium, on Dec. 31, 2024.
Virginia Mayo/AP
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Virginia Mayo/AP
Hilde Dosogne’s formidable objective for final yr would humble most of our New 12 months’s resolutions.
Initially of 2024, the Belgian got down to maintain the report as the primary lady to run a marathon each single day of the yr — 366 in complete (it was a intercalary year). On Dec. 31, the 55-year-old completed her final 26.2 miles of the yr in Ghent, Belgium.
To make it official, Dosogne is working to submit proof of her mileage, together with GPS knowledge, photographs and witness reviews, to Guinness World Document officers.
Dosogne is used to working excessive distances. She accomplished the 153-mile Spartathlon in Greece in 2022 and 2023. So, she did not really feel the necessity to particularly prepare for the year-long objective.
Even so, she mentioned she wasn’t ready for what lay forward.
“I must say, I really — I underestimated it,” she mentioned in an interview on Saturday with All Issues Thought-about host Scott Detrow. “The toughest part was actually the mental part of being at the start line every day again,” she mentioned.
The bodily challenges additionally weren’t straightforward. Dosogne did all of it whereas working part-time and caring for a household of 5.
“I realized I needed much more sleep than usual,” she mentioned.
Becoming in naps throughout her lunch break helped, she mentioned.
Alongside the way in which, she raised greater than 65,000 euros (over $67,000) for breast most cancers analysis, in accordance with the charity BIG In opposition to Breast Most cancers.
In signing herself up for the problem, Dosogne mentioned she needed to push her personal limits. She additionally needed to encourage different folks to push theirs, too.
Her recommendation for these simply beginning out working? Have endurance.
“Just build it up gradually, and you will see the benefits,” she mentioned. “Don’t expect miracles in a short time.”
Guinness World Information says its customary utility assessment course of for data takes about 12-15 weeks. Hugo Farias, a Brazilian, holds the male report for three hundred and sixty six days, which he achieved in 2023.
For now, Dosogne is taking a little bit of a break from working, per physician’s orders. She’s recovering from a minor hamstring harm.
“He told me maybe I should rest a couple more weeks until I start running again,” she mentioned. “But I think I will cycle a little bit.”
