Australian Couple in Their 60's Break World Record Running 366 Marathons for 366 Consecutive Days
An Australian couple in their 60's is making international headlines after breaking a world record by running a marathon-a-day in 2013.
Janette Murray-Wakelin, 64, and her husband Alan Murray, 68, of Melbourne, Australia set the new world record when they finished their 366th marathon on January 1, 2014. The couple achieved their challenge on a diet of raw fruits and vegetables, reportedly beginning their daily run at 5 a.m. and sustaining their energy throughout the day with fruit salads and smoothies. Additionally, the couple, who ran a total of 9776,75 miles in 2013, reportedly ate upwards of 30 bananas per day.
"We are healthier, more physically fit and have unlimited energy at beyond 60 years of age than in our earlier years," the couple wrote on their website, RunningRawAroundAustralia.com, that allows their fans to keep up with their adventures.
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Murray-Wakelin told BBC's Today program that the purpose of her and her husband's goal was to "bring a really positive message […] about being responsible for your own health." At age 52, Murray-Wakelin was diagnosed with breast cancer and told she only had a small amount of time left to live. Instead of undergoing chemotherapy, the endurance runner began an all raw, vegan diet and fitness regime, and within six months doctors reportedly told Murray-Wakelin that the cancer had completely disappeared from her body.
The couple also ran the perimeter of Australia to raise awareness for numerous charities that seek to promote healthy living, such as the Australian Paralympic Community, Kids Under Cover and the Gawler Foundation.
As the couple states on their Facebook page, their intent is to "inspire and motivate conscious lifestyle choices,to promote kindness and compassion for all living beings and to raise environmental awareness for a sustainable future."
Murray-Wakelin told the Sydney Morning Herald that her goals for 2014 are to write a book, make a documentary about her and her husband's runs, and tour Australia promoting a raw and vegan lifestyle. The inspirational runner added that she wants to show "how limitless the possibilities are, if you're in a state of optimum health."
