Arlington man breaks ultramarathon record racing across the world

Michael Wardian, 51, completed 7 ultramarathons on 7 continents in 7 days, setting a new record.

Published on Feb. 12, 2026

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Michael Wardian, a 51-year-old runner from Arlington, Virginia, has set a new record for the fastest time completing the grueling World Marathon Challenge - running 7 ultramarathons on 7 continents in 7 days. Wardian dealt with extreme weather conditions, from subfreezing temperatures in Antarctica to sweltering 107-degree heat in Australia, but managed to win each of the 50K races and finish the challenge with an average time of 3 hours and 48 minutes per race, over 4 hours faster than the previous record.

Why it matters

Completing the World Marathon Challenge is an incredible physical and mental feat, requiring runners to push their bodies to the absolute limit while dealing with constant travel and extreme changes in climate and terrain. Wardian's record-breaking performance showcases his exceptional endurance, determination, and adaptability as an ultramarathon runner, inspiring others to pursue their own ambitious athletic goals.

The details

Wardian and dozens of other runners began the challenge in Ultima Base, Antarctica, where they completed multiple laps of a several kilometer loop in subfreezing temperatures and high winds. From there, they traveled to Cape Town, South Africa; Perth, Australia; Dubai, UAE; Madrid, Spain; Fortaleza, Brazil; and finally Miami, Florida, running a roughly 31-mile ultramarathon in each location over the course of 7 days. Despite the grueling travel schedule, with flights ranging from 8-11 hours between each race, Wardian managed to win every individual event and set a new record for the overall challenge.

  • The first run took place in Ultima Base, Antarctica.
  • Two days after the Antarctica race, the runners competed in Cape Town, South Africa.
  • The third race was in Perth, Australia, where temperatures reached 107 degrees.
  • The fourth race was in Dubai, UAE, with temperatures near 90 degrees.
  • Wardian completed the final race in Miami, Florida, winning the overall marathon by 8 minutes.

The players

Michael Wardian

A 51-year-old runner from Arlington, Virginia who holds the record for the fastest time completing the World Marathon Challenge - running 7 ultramarathons on 7 continents in 7 days.

World Marathon Challenge

A grueling endurance event that requires runners to complete 7 ultramarathons (roughly 31 miles each) on 7 different continents in 7 consecutive days.

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What they’re saying

“It was weird because it was during the snowpocalypse here in the D.C. area. So, it was actually colder in D.C. from average temperature than it was in Antarctica.”

— Michael Wardian (WTOP)

“You wanted to feel like you did something, and you definitely felt when you got done with the run in Antarctica that you had put yourself out there and you've done something kind of epic.”

— Michael Wardian (WTOP)

“I suffered a lot that day.”

— Michael Wardian (WTOP)

“I was just trying to survive both those days. I got my big Teva bucket hat on and just tried to douse myself in icy water as much as possible.”

— Michael Wardian (WTOP)

“I continued to expand that winning tradition, winning in Miami, and ended up winning the overall marathon by about eight minutes.”

— Michael Wardian (WTOP)

What’s next

Wardian plans to attempt to run the Pacific Crest Trail this year and next year will try to solo row across the Atlantic Ocean.

The takeaway

Michael Wardian's record-breaking performance in the World Marathon Challenge demonstrates the incredible physical and mental fortitude required to push the boundaries of human endurance. His story inspires others to pursue their own ambitious athletic goals, no matter how daunting they may seem.