US Marine veteran breaks record by travelling over 150 miles in one day on his wheelchair

Even as the San Antonio sun disappeared into a frigid November night, and even as the lines around the track began to blur as he made hundreds of laps, for 24 hours straight Michael “Mike” Egan (USA) was focused on just one thing – accomplishing a record.

On 10 November, the US Marine veteran and bilateral amputee challenged the title for the greatest distance covered in 24 hours by wheelchair by completing 720 rotations around the course at Morgan's Wonderland Sports Complex in San Antonio, Texas, USA. 

Deliberately scheduling his attempt on Veteran’s Day, the athlete and fitness coach wanted to inspire those with similar military or medical experiences to invest in themselves, and he thought the best way to do so was by conquering a seemingly insurmountable goal on such a significant holiday.

And despite the exhaustive effort and freezing nighttime conditions, Mike came out on top – travelling 152.37 miles (245.2 km) in just one day, and absolutely smashing the record held by Mario Trindade (Portugal) since 2007. 

“When I chose to do this record, it wasn't achievable, but I knew if I held myself accountable to training and working towards it I could,” said Mike to GWR. “For an entire year I devoted myself towards setting a new world record.

“If there is something you are passionate about or a goal you've been putting off saying you'll do it one day, hold yourself accountable to it. There is no better time than today.”

Mike, who is now a loving husband and a father of two, lost his legs in 2012 while deployed in Afghanistan. After over 40 surgeries and more than a year of rehabilitation, he medically retired from the military in January 2014, and discovered his love for fitness through his passion for coaching and motivating others. 

“If I had to give any advice for someone to chase after a challenge it would be, I learned more from my failures than my successes,” he said. 

“The outcome of your goals is the least important part of the journey, it's the pursuit of something greater that allows you to become a better version of yourself.” 

Read more stories about amazing athletes in our dedicated Sports and Fitness section!

After years of helping people follow their fitness dreams, Mike was finally ready to break a record for himself in 2023, when he began intensely training to take on the wheelchair marathon. 

The dedicated athlete spent hours working on his strength and endurance in the gym and on the track, working with his coach George Briones at Omni Athlete Training Systems, and his friends and community at his gym The Tribe, to be able to put up the numbers he needed to take the title.

Mike also particularly credited his wife, Amy Egan, for all of her incredible support during this time – as well as title sponsor USAA, for helping him turn the event into a fundraising opportunity for veterans via donations to the gyms and service centres operated by Valorfit.

One month before his big race, he told GWR: “[After] thousands of miles in training, several test runs for the attempt, and weeks where I was logging over 100 miles, I know I am ready to give this record the best performance I have to offer.”

Finally, the time came for Mike to take on the challenge – and under the bright light of the San Antonio sunshine, he arrived at the track with a posse of enthusiastic supporters, eager to claim his long-awaited crown.

For the next 24 hours, he clutched the wheels of his chair and launched himself around the mile-long track, repeatedly bursting across the starting line as he completed endless circles around the fitness centre. 

Within that one-day period, Mike raced for over 21 hours – taking only short breaks to rest and refuel, even after he broke the previous record of 113.4 miles. The group held a short celebration to congratulate him on his accomplishment, but soon after, he took off again around the track, ultimately committed to reaching his goal of 150+ miles before the time was up. 

Yet soon enough, the resolute racer sped across the fateful finish line – achieving an amazing total of 152.37 miles (245.2 km), and burning a shocking 18,890 calories in the process.

As his loved ones rushed to congratulate the exhausted athlete, Mike was emotional as he accepted their praise, later saying on Instagram that: “This was for my community, my people who never gave up on me, who helped me find a way to serve again and the opportunity to give it to others through Valorfit.”

And as if Mike’s new world record wasn’t accomplishment enough, he later learned that because of his efforts, he fundraised a total of $25,000 for Valorfit – including a $10,000 donation on behalf of USAA. The organization thanked him “from the bottom of our heart” on social media, saying that he truly lived and understood their mission to transform veterans’ lives through fitness.

So congratulations Mike on this spectacular achievement – you are Officially Amazing!