Fall marathon season is wrapping up, but participants in this year’s Great World Race decided that one race wasn’t enough. The event took runners to each of the seven continents to run a marathon—in just seven days.
The itinerary, expectedly, was tight. Runners set off from Wolf’s Fang, Antarctica, on November 14 and concluded on November 20 in Miami.
If you thought the New York City Marathon was expensive with its $315 sticker price (for non-members of the NYRR), the Great World Race dwarfs that. The event will set you back just over $52,000 dollars, which includes charter flights, in-flight food and drink, and “emergency evacuation cover” for the Antarctica leg (you never know).
This year’s race included some notable names. Jenny Simpson, the 2011 world champion in the 1500 meters, was a late addition to the field, fresh off a 2:31:54 showing at the New York City Marathon. Peloton instructor Becs Gentry also lined up, as did ultrarunner Ashley Paulson, a two-time winner of the Badwater 135. David Kilgore, a professional endurance athlete who won the 2023 World Marathon Challenge (another seven continents, seven days marathon series), joined as well.
Andrew Thorpe AUS 3:13:03.
Leg 1: Antarctica (Wolf’s Fang)
Women
1 Ashley Paulson (USA) 3.18:02
2 Hillary Kupish (USA) 3.19:53
3 Becs Gentry (GBR) 3.20:44
4 Jenny Simpson (USA) 3.41:10
5 Chirine Njeim (LIB / USA) 3.42:04
Men
1 William Maunsell (IRL) 2.38.42
2 David Kilgore (USA) 2.50:04
3 Ger Prendergast (IRL) 3.19:40
4 Alvaro Nunez (ESP / USA) 3.27:56
5 Santosh Karmacharya (NEP / USA) 3.37:00
Leg 2: Africa (Cape Town)
Women
1 Ashley Paulson (USA) 3.15:46
1 Hillary Kupish (USA) 3.15:46
1 Becs Gentry (GBR) 3.15:46
1 Jenny Simpson (USA) 3.15:46
1 Chirine Njeim (LIB/USA) 3.15:46
Men
1 William Maunsell (IRL) 2.34.03
2 Alvaro Nunez (ESP/USA) 3.10:56
3 David Kilgore (USA) 3.15:46
3 Ger Prendergast (IRL) 3.15:46
5 Alessandro Paolucci (ITA) 3.24:47
Leg 3: Australia (Perth)
Women
1 Ashley Paulson (USA) 3:02:54
1 Becs Gentry (GBR) 3:02:54
1 Chirine Njeim (LIB / USA) 3:02:54
1 Hillary Kupish (USA) 3:02:54
1 Jenny Simpson (USA) 3:12:17
Men
- William Maunsell (IRL) 2:36:45
- David Kilgore (USA) 2:56:55
- Andrew Thorpe (AUS) 3:13:03
- Ger Prendergast (IRL) 3:14:46
- Alvaro Nunez (ESP/USA) 3:17:12
Leg 4: Europe (Istanbul)
Women
1 Hillary Kupish (USA) 3:05:44
2 Ashley Paulson (USA) 3:07:45
2 Becs Gentry (GBR) 3:07:45
4 Jenny Simpson (USA) 3:11:47
5 Chirine Njeim (LIB/USA) 3:19:30
Men
- William Maunsell (IRL) 2:43:39
- David Kilgore (USA) 2:56:10
- Alvaro Nunez (ESP/USA) 3:04:01
- Andrew Thorpe (AUS) 3:04:56
- Ger Prendergast (IRL) 3:14:34
Leg 5: Asia (Istanbul)
Women
- Ashley Paulson (USA) 2:57:11
- Hillary Kupish (USA) 2:58:46
- Becs Gentry (GBR) 3:07:58
- Chirine Njeim (LIB/USA) 3:13:11
- Jenny Simpson (USA) 3:15:42
Men
1 William Maunsell (IRL) 2:43:34
2 Alvaro Nunez (ESP/USA) 3:15:42
2 Alessandro Paolucci (ITA) 3:15:42
2 Santosh Karmacharya (NEP/USA) 3:15:42
2 Andrejs Birjukovs (LAT) 3:15:42
Leg 6: South America (Cartegena)
Women
1 Jenny Simpson (USA) 3:19:24
2 Ashley Paulson (USA) 3:31:05
2 Becs Gentry (GBR) 3:31:05
2 Chirine Njeim (LIB / USA) 3:31:05
2 Hillary Kupish (USA) 3:31:05
Men
- David Kilgore (USA) 3:05:18
- Dan Bronstein (GER) 3:18:15
- Alessandro Paolucci (ITA) 3:42:06
- Andrejs Birjukovs (LAT) 3:50:34
- Santosh Karmacharya (NEP/USA) 4:00:23
Leg 7: North American (Miami)
Women
1. Becs Gentry (GBR) 3:11:17
1. Hillary Kupish (USA) 3:11:17
3. Chirine Njeim (LIB / USA) 3:16:07
4. Ashley Paulson (USA) 3:30:51
5. Anne-Sophie Reinhardt (GER) 4:10:31
Men
- David Kilgore (USA) 3:13:14
- Andrejs Birjukovs (LAT) 3:13:36
- Alessandro Paolucci (ITA) 3:17:34
- Dan Bronstein (GER) 3:27:11
- Santosh Karmacharya (NEP / USA) 3:30:13
