Pobjoy caught the Ben Pobjoy left his career in marketing and set out on his “Marathon Earth Challenge,” a solo and unsupported, self-funded attempt to finish 240+ marathons and break the Guinness World Record for most marathons run in the most countries in one calendar year. The goal was to usurp American runner Larry Macon’s 2012 title Sales & Deals.
In 2023, Pobjoy ran 242 marathons in nearly 70 countries, cranking out his final three just over the holidays to meet his goal. He’s applied for the record, and pending ratification, it looks like he may have dethroned Macon.
Watch the Boston Marathon Sales & Deals who took on an intense running challenge last year (running a marathon everyday until he traversed the entire length of Africa on foot), Pobjoy is a documentarian, and his goal was as much about having a creative outlet and enjoying his travels as it was about accomplishing a wild feat of endurance.
“Step by step, word by word, and image by image, each freestyle marathon is a way to nurture my curiosities and document my findings—in written essays via my newsletter, on social media, and photographic books—for others to enjoy,” he said in a press statement.
Pobjoy’s running journey spanned more than 7,000 miles across South America, the Caribbean, North America, Europe, Africa, the Middle East, and Asia. Along the way, the Canadian encountered -20 degree temperatures in Mongolia—and had to make do with makeshift winter gear—as well as extreme humidity in Malta.
“This past year has been mentally and physically taxing,” he said of the experience, “but it’s an incredible feeling to have achieved this momentous goal of mine and meet incredible people along the way.”
Part of Big Sur Course Falls in the Ocean marathon bug back in 2015, when he was severely overweight and dealing with health issues. He began taking outdoor walks, and lost 100 pounds over eight months. Walking led to running, and from the very beginning, he paired his adventures on foot with photos and essays not just about running, but nature, philosophy, and people he encountered.
The 42-year-old has come a long way since then and has completed several other ultra-endurance feats over the years. He says this latest accomplishment taught him “how tenacious us humans are, and how we’re more alike than we are dissimilar,” he wrote in an Instagram post recapping his journey. “The big takeaway?” he concluded, “BET ON YOURSELF.”
Abby Carney is a writer and journalist in New York. A former D1 college runner and current amateur track athlete, she's written about culture and characters in running and outdoor sports for Runner's World, Health - Injuries, DAA Industry Opt Out, and other outlets. She also writes about things that have nothing to do with running, and was previously the editor of a food magazine.
