GENT, Belgium — On Tuesday, the last day of 2024, the cancellation finally neared — Belgian ultrarunner Hilde Dessaugne did everything she could to set a world record as the first woman to run a marathon every day of the year. I felt that.
Exhausted but seemingly not worn out by the constant weight of the marathon, DeSaugne emerged from the cold gray light and crossed the line as a crowd of fellow runners celebrated his extraordinary feat. I did.
“I'm glad it's over,” she said after crossing the finish line on the final day, colliding with a spectator during the final run, leaving many people falling.
In addition to being rewarded for her perseverance in running at least 15,444 kilometers in one year, the 55-year-old also raised around 60,000 euros ($62,438) for breast cancer research.
Next came the need to submit GPS data, photographic and video evidence, and independent witness reports, which she had to collect daily to meet regulatory requirements. Guinness World Records organization.
If approved, the records should be officially hers within about three months.
The 55-year-old will join Brazilian Hugo Farias, who holds the men's record of 366 days, set on August 28, 2023 in São Paulo, Brazil.
In the women's category, DeSaugne will be in a league of her own as the current record set by Australia's Elchana Murray-Bartlett is 150 days since January 16, 2023.
One thing is for sure: she doesn't want her accomplishments to become a shining example of healthy living. It was more of a personal tenacity, as she had to battle the flu, COVID-19, more than a dozen crashes, blisters and even bursitis. .
But overall, it was the brain that took the hardest hit.
“It's more of a mental strain than a physical one. Of course, physically everything has to be fine. Otherwise, you wouldn't be able to run for four hours every day. But every day you start It was mentally easier to be on the line,” she told The Associated Press.
Dessaugne was able to complete much of the marathon on a flat waterfront loop on the outskirts of the university city of Ghent, where strong headwinds can be her toughest competition.
She said she didn't take any statistical risks there either, and set her daily distance at 42.5 kilometers instead of 42.195 kilometers (26.2 miles) as a safety precaution with Guinness management.
Dessaugne wishes he could have extended his day as well.
She works as a bioengineer for a chemical company and starts work extra early so that she can fully commit to her daily afternoon marathon. And since she couldn't run at top speed every day, she stuck to an easy 10 km/h (6.2 mph), which friends and witnesses could also run with.
The only time my daughter Lucy felt she might not be able to finish the race was the day she fell at the 27km mark, dislocated her finger and was rushed to the emergency ward, where she spent far too much time to finish the marathon. It was. Regulation.
What is the solution?
“She started from scratch again,” Lucy said.
“It's still a little crooked,” DeSaugne said.
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