SCOTT DETROW, HOST:
It is the beginning of the new year, and maybe you're thinking about the things you want to achieve this year. For a lot of people, that might include dusting off the running shoes and setting some goals - maybe a 5K, maybe a half marathon, maybe, if you're really ambitious, a full marathon. That's a 26.2-mile run, which is just over 42 kilometers.
Well, at the beginning of 2024, Belgian ultramarathoner Hilde Dosogne set a very ambitious goal, running a marathon every day, the entire year. You heard that correctly. Because since 2024 was a leap year, that meant she would complete 366 marathons in total. On December 31, she achieved her goal and is now working to formally submit the record for approval with the Guinnes World Record officials. Hilde Dosogne joins us now to talk about her marathon year. Welcome to ALL THINGS CONSIDERED.
HILDE DOSOGNE: Hi, Scott. Nice to meet you.
DETROW: Let me start with a question a lot of people probably have. Why? Why did you decide to do this?
DOSOGNE: I had three main goals, and the first thing was a personal, sportive achievement. I've been running ultramarathons for a few years now, and I always want to push my limits. I ran the Spartathlon. That's an ultramarathon in Greece where you run from Athens to Sparta, and that's 246 kilometers in one go, so in maximum, 36 hours, and I did that race two times. And after that, I thought, maybe I could set my limits even higher. That's first goal.
DETROW: Yeah.
DOSOGNE: And then the second was I wanted to do this for charity, for BIG against breast cancer. It's a nonprofit organization who organizes studies to find a better treatment for breast cancer, so I wanted to collect money for them. And a third goal was to inspire other people to start running or to push their limits, too.
DETROW: I'm curious. I mean, you mentioned you've been running these ultramarathon races for a long time already. How much did you change to train for this? What was the preparation like before January 1 of last year?
DOSOGNE: I didn't really prepare for it because the year before, in '23, I had ran the Spartathlon the second time, and that race is beginning of October. So after that, I rested a few weeks, and I didn't specifically train for it. But I was already used to running a lot to - as a training, for example, I did already two or three marathons in a row, so I already knew that I could do at least three marathons in a row. Of course, a whole year is much more.
DETROW: If three, not - well, why not 366?
DOSOGNE: Yeah. Well, I must say, I really - I underestimated it.
DETROW: What was the toughest part?
DOSOGNE: Physically, it was in the beginning because I was very tired. My body had to adapt to the physical restraints, and I realized I needed much more sleep than usual. So - but then I started to do naps during my lunch break, and that helped a lot. But the toughest part was actually the mental part of being at the start line every day again. And it was - yeah, it was really tough because I was also working part time.
DETROW: Wow.
DOSOGNE: So - and I also have four children and husband, so that made it even more difficult.
DETROW: So can you give us a sense, given all of that, what your typical days were like? - when you got the work in, when you - what you did to recover from the race before you woke up and did it all over again?
DOSOGNE: Yeah. So I got up at 6:15 in the morning. Then I go to work or work from home. Then I did my nap during the lunch break. Then at around 2 p.m., I start to run until 6 p.m. And after that, I always drink a recovery shake, and then I take a bath and eat dinner and then go to sleep early. And then the next day - but it was going very fast.
DETROW: You mentioned one of the goals was to inspire people to run. I said at the top, a lot of people are trying to start out new routines this time of year. What would your advice be for somebody who's intimidated by 3 miles, let alone 26 miles every day?
DOSOGNE: Just start easily, and don't push yourself too much in the beginning. Just build it up gradually, and you will see the benefits. But you have to be patient in the beginning. Don't expect miracles in a short time.
DETROW: The last thing I want to ask is - we're talking in early January. Have you gone for a run yet this year, or you're taking a little bit of a break this week?
DOSOGNE: No, I actually - I wanted to start running again, but I have a minor injury in my hamstring. So it was already hurting from Christmas, so I ran with pain the last week. But I didn't want to give up because I was so close to...
DETROW: Right.
DOSOGNE: ...The end. So I just went to the doctor, and he told me maybe I should rest a couple more weeks until I start running again. But I think I will cycle a little bit.
DETROW: That is ultramarathoner Hilde Dosogne. Thank you so much for talking to us.
DOSOGNE: You're welcome.
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