50 Marathons in 50 Days

Running 50 Marathons in 50 Days was a feat that, from the very beginning, seemed to belong to the realm of the impossible. How does a Portuguese amateur athlete in his forties run 42.195 km every day, far from home, in a country like Japan? It is a challenge that goes beyond the limits of logic and of the human being, both physically and mentally.

Over the past decade, I began to develop a desire to live an adventure through running. Largely inspired by the movie Forrest Gump. I considered crossing an entire continent or connecting two relevant landmarks. In the end, I ended up developing the idea of doing fifty marathons in Japan. I was very curious to immerse myself in Japanese culture and what better way to do that than through running?

On March 11, 2024, I set off from the Hachiko statue near the Shibuya pedestrian crossings in central Tokyo, and embarked on what would become an unparalleled journey. The proposal was to advance from the capital of Japan in a westerly direction, preferably close to the coast, and reach the cities of Nagoya, Osaka, Kyoto and Hiroshima, among others.

On the ground, I had no logistical support. I was carrying a small 3 kg backpack, where I had some essential items: toothbrush, medicine, money, credit card, mobile phone charger and a change of clothes. I would start running at dawn and as soon as I reached 42.2 km (the distance of a marathon), I would look for a hotel to sleep on the side of the road. The next day I repeated the process all over again.

Despite the physical difficulties, particularly with my Achilles tendon and knees, I can say that for fifty days I was a free and happy man. I suffered several setbacks, I got lost, I cried and screamed in anguish in the middle of the road. Carried by an invisible faith, every morning I rose from the darkness to run another marathon. To this day, I don't know how I did it.

On the last day, April 29, 2024, I still had three marathons to complete, so I decided to do them all at once at Yoyogi Park in Tokyo. I covered 126.6 km in fifteen hours, at the limit of physical exhaustion, with excruciating pain, and the illusion that it was possible to make this dream come true. When I had twenty kilometres left, I thought I would have to be admitted to a hospital, as I felt my body deteriorating, both in my brain and in my muscles, namely in my legs, ribs and lungs.

The fundraising exceeded all expectations, and it was with great joy that, at the end of the challenge, we were all able to support the Comunidade Vida e Paz in Portugal and education projects in Nepal. It was the hardest Humanitarian Adventure I have undertaken to date, but after a few weeks, when I delivered the donations, I realised that all the sacrifices were worth it after all. Exchanging blood, sweat and tears for bread and school supplies is a divine act.