Even for those who profane the idea of running except in situations where any chance of survival or escape requires the fast turnover of legs, the marathon still holds a certain kind of allure. Whether you’re a seasoned athlete or hobby jogger, the idea of running 42.2 kilometres is one that speaks to the desire to push ourselves to the limits, to get comfortable being uncomfortable and sit in the pain cave for an extended period of time, all so we can grow and see what we’re truly made of.
The fact is, the marathon is a distance that still throws curveballs even at the most disciplined runner: you never quite know just how the body will fare. But as it turns out, not all marathons are created equally, and for one daring individual, the idea of running the world’s “hardest marathon” on zero training was too great an opportunity to pass up.
For YouTuber and calisthenics athlete Stan Browney, taking on gruelling fitness challenges is part of his job description. He’s previously tried to lift a total of 100,000 pounds over the course of a single hour and work out for 24 hours straight. For his most recent video though, Browney wanted to try the hardest marathon which would require him to run one mile every hour for 24 hours. As he explained to his followers, “I have zero running experience and no clue if I will die in the next 24 hours.”
Joined by friend and fellow fitness enthusiast Arjen Albers, Browney recognises that he doesn’t exactly have the best running technique for such an undertaking. Alas, there’s no turning back now. The pair complete the first mile in 6:43, and then experiment throughout the day with faster and slower paces to try and find that sweet “flow” state that they can hopefully keep up throughout the night. Unfortunately, the pair get a bit over-enthusiastic, hitting a 5-minute mile and realising that the increased speed only depleted them of energy and illustrated their need for recovery.
It’s a daunting prospect: running a mile every hour for 24 hours, but it’s one that saw Browney experience the agony of such a feat on the second day. Pushing through the pain and battling bleeding feet, Browney continued to run while Albers struggled with the limited amount of sleep achieved between miles. “I’m just tearing my body apart,” says Browney. “It’s not good for my body.”
After completing 24 miles in 24 hours, Browney encourages Albers to join him as they keep going for another 2.2 miles, bringing them to a total distance of 26.2 miles – which is the official length of a marathon. Following the completion of the task, Browney appears as a shell of a human.
“The only thing I will say about this challenge is: do not try this at home. We do not encourage doing this. We are dead.”
