Most consecutive days to run a marathon distance (female)

The most consecutive days to run a marathon distance (female) is 106, achieved by Fay Cunningham and Emma Petrie (both UK), from 19 February to 4 June 2022.

Fay ran alongside her partner Emma for the duration of the attempt. They originally aimed to complete 100 marathons in 100 days, but found out during the attempt that two other women were also going for this record so decided to up their goal to 106 consecutive marathon distance runs.

The tagline for their attempt was “Do it while you can”, as both Fay and Emma had seen parents have their ability to do what they loved taken away from them. “This kept us going and we feel fortunate that we were able to run every day and raise money for two incredible charities. The love and support we received made it an incredible experience.”

They also hoped the attempt would inspire people to challenge themselves and exercise consistently. “We are also passionate about empowering women and girls to take part in sport and love their body for what it can do, not what it looks like.”

They had a routine in place for each run but it would change depending on the weather and how they were feeling on the day. Most runs set off between 7 – 11 am.

In order to avoid injury and reach their goal of 100+ days, they had a strict recovery plan which included sports massage and dry needling, as well as daily ice baths to help with inflammation. They also made fuelling a priority and ensured they were well hydrated and had consumed enough calories to continue running back-to-back marathons.

After finishing the attempt, both runners felt they could have continued for more days as their bodies adapted really well to the challenge, but mentally they were ready to stop and celebrate the achievement. They decided to finish on a Saturday so that they could have a big party!

Fay and Emma both enjoy long-distance running: “It is more about the mind than the body. You need to believe you can and then you will. We both love that it is not just a physical test but a rollercoaster experience with so many highs and lows. The power of the mind is incredible. Long distance running also allows you to explore so many places, see a lot of nature, spend time outside and appreciate where you are. It's a simple thing but it makes you feel so good."

On the prospect of achieving this Guinness World Records title, the pair told GWR it “would mean so much to us. It would be the icing on the cake to such an amazing, unforgettable experience. We are overwhelmed with the support we received throughout the challenge and receiving the record would mean that everyone was right to believe in us. It would make our parents so proud to achieve such an extraordinary record and make all those marathons 100% worth it!!!!!”

Overall the attempt raised £35,115.82 (+ £6279.79 in GiftAid) and this will be split equally between MND and Macmillan Cancer Support charities.