San Francisco man runs 7 marathons in 7 days on 7 continents

SAN FRANCISCO - Chris Edell, 45, of San Francisco, was searching for a challenge and added meaning to his life, so he decided to run seven marathons in seven days on seven different continents. 

The feat seems hard to believe, not just physically, but logistically. 

Organizers of the World Marathon Challenge plan everything down to the minute. They manage logistics, permits, language barriers, and charter flights along a customized route to ensure the challenge can be completed on time. 

The runners are then able to focus on the physical demands. 

Edell and the rest of the runners started their journey at orientation in Cape Town, South Africa. Then it was off to Antarctica for the first race. 

"We hopped a Russian military plane to Antarctica," Edell said. "When the doors opened I remember the announcer saying you are required to wear sunglasses because the sun is so bright, especially when it is reflecting off of the snow that you can actually burn your retinas if you stay out too long."

The temperature was 11 degrees, but with the wind chill, it was -7. 

Despite the deadly conditions, they completed the first marathon. 

According to Edell, the hardest part of the entire race, was the recovery.

"It really is more of a psychological game at a certain point where you're almost in a grappling match with your own head, trying to prove how capable you are," Edell said. 

For the second marathon, they returned to Cape Town, then to Perth, Australia, Dubai, Madrid, Spain and the Fortaleza, Brazil for marathon six, the race that almost broke Edell. 

"It was 85 degrees, oppressive humidity, the sixth marathon, I had severe chaffing from sweating through my clothes it was brutal," Edell said. 

The final marathon was in Miami. 

According to Edell, the hardest part of the week was the lack of recovery. 

"After the second marathon, you realize I still have about four marathons to do, your body is wiped out," Edell said. "You’re going through temperature changes, you’re juggling nutrition and you have jetlag."

In an effort to avoid food poisoning, the runners turned to fast food. 

Throughout the week, they relied on a diet of Chicken McNuggets and Gatorade.

Edell told KTVU he would consider doing the challenge again, but said he would never forget what he learned throughout the week but also the year-long training process. 

"You realize that your human body and mind have so much more potential than what your head is telling you," Edell said.