Rob Bell’s multi-marathon challenge

Back in January, we caught up with TV presenter Rob Bell, who was running a mammoth 7 marathons, on 7 continents, in 7 days.

A few months on, we spoke to him again, post-challenge, to see how he got on!

Q. So, Rob, how did it go? Did you complete it? We’re dying to know!

A. Yes we did! We got around 7 marathons, on 7 continents, in just under six days actually. But, 7, 7, 7 has a better ring to it.

It was amazing, absolutely brilliant. There were highs and lows, but overall I don’t think we could have asked for anymore luck on the way. You could do all the training and preparation in the world, but if flights get delayed or weather comes in – especially for our first journey to Antarctica – if weather was to come in and scupper that so we couldn’t fly out, that really would have mucked things up.

However, the weather was playful, beautiful weather, it was -8 with a slight wind and bit of snow along the way, but we had this amazing sunrise at 3am. From then on travel played ball.

Q. Congratulations! How did you find the overall experience?

A. I was really worried before I had started with how I was going to cope. I’ve been in situations where I’ve done little trips and adventures or endurance races over 48 hours, and I know when you don’t get much sleep and when people are in close company, tensions can run high. But to be honest, throughout the whole thing, it was about just getting on with whatever task was there ahead of you, not worry about what’s coming up in 10 hours or two days time.

It was mostly ‘I’m knackered but I got to go and eat’ or ‘I’ve got to go through security scan, I’m not going get wound up about it, I’m just gonna get on it with it’. The fact that I was doing that with five great mates, where you’re all in the same boat and sharing the same experience, you just all get on with it.

It was a great learn for me, not for just future endurance events, but also for life.

Q. So what were the best bits?

A. Two in particular, one was getting to Antarctica, it’s an absolutely amazing place. We got there the day before the challenge and we had that afternoon to walk around and explore a little bit, we had a guide who took us out to see seals and a penguin colony. It’s just beautiful and the marathon itself, we started at 4am and the sun was rising over icebergs off in the distance in the ocean and it was stunning.

The second thing for me, which probably stands out above everything else was our marathon in Cairo. We were originally a little apprehensive when planning this marathon that security might be more of an issue than it is anywhere else. So we wanted to keep it fairly quiet, compared to everywhere else – where we were actively publicising it. However, in Cairo we thought we’d just keep this one a little under wraps.

That said, we did get in touch with one running club in Cairo to find out where the best place to run a marathon would be. This running club, Cairo Runners, were amazed by what we were doing and got in touch with all the other running clubs in Cairo and out of it was Cairo’s first unofficial marathon in 30 years.

There were 1200 people registered on Facebook and I don’t know if there were more people out there on the day. It was packed, we got to the start and we were like local celebrities, all these runners were just out there and happy, enthused by what we were doing. They put on this marathon with mile markers, water and food stations.

It was just the most amazing experience to be part of this. We had such a great day and the whole experience was rather overwhelming.

Q. …and the worst?

A. My worst bit was my final marathon, in Sydney. Having run the Singapore marathon in 85% humidity successfully, on the flight to Sydney I knew it was the final marathon, loads of friends and family were going to be there, it was a real occasion, our last marathon and everyone was buzzing. I think my mind switched off a little bit, and it’s that interplay between mental and physical battles that you have to win.

I got off the plane and it was 37 degrees, and the heat just hit me like a Mike Tyson punch to the. It was horrendous, and when I get to the start line my body just hated it, my stomach was not good because I had been stuffing energy gels down it for a whole week and not eating brilliantly because our meals were from airports or aircraft. All my tendons around my ankles and Achilles swelled up and I couldn’t run properly for the first 30K, I hated it. I was in so much pain. The final 12K, my mind switched back on again and focused on the finish line and how great it was going to be, I managed to pick up a load of pace. But that first 30K was horrendous, it felt like that end was never going to come. That was the worst bit.

Q. How did it feel when you crossed the line?

A. It felt great, that final finishing line. It was a culmination of a year’s worth of work and planning and training. This collective we had all put in, all six of us, to make this thing happen. Plus all the money we managed to raise for charity which topped off at around £100,000.

There was just all this feeling of emotion as I crossed the finish line and I think I babbled quite a bit! Part of that emotion though was a sadness, that it was over. That this thing we had been so excited about, so focused towards for the last year was over and I was going to have find something else to fill my time.

It was an amazing sense of pride, and a joy with a small tinge of disappointment that it was over.

Q. What kept you going in desperate times?

A. Good question. Just the fact that all the other boys were going through the same thing. There was no way I would have ever of done this on my own. I wouldn’t have wanted to. We didn’t necessarily run together all at the same time because a few of us had different running speeds, but you would see each other on the course when there were little crossovers or loops, and just seeing each other with massive smiles, knowing what we were doing lifted you every time.

Whenever I did get down or necessarily didn’t want to go on, you see someone else running and feeling the same thing, but everyone puts the smiles on. You all know how much pain you’re in, there’s no point saying ‘this hurts’. You just go and enjoy it.

Q. Were your marathon times consistent?

A. They were! I think mine were more consistent than anyone else’s.

I averaged 3:33:00 over the seven marathons. My biggest deviation from that was probably 13 minutes on either side. I think my fastest was 3:19:00 and my slowest was at 3:49:00. That was in London, I was just enjoying running with all my mates. They would join in at various stages of the race, an hour here or an hour there. A continuous stream of friends, which was great.

Q. Wow that’s impressive for seven in a row!

A. I was pretty happy, there’s no secret, it’s training. Get a good training plan together so you know when you’re running out there at that pace, you’ve done it and you’ve been through it.

Then during the week itself, it was just icing any niggling injuries on a plane, making sure you stretch everything out and making sure you get enough food and water back into you.

Q. Okay great, now some quick fire questions! Favourite marathon?