WINNING the inaugural seven marathons across seven continents in seven days (777) is no easy feat, let alone breaking world records along the way.
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But that is exactly what the son of locals Tim and Lindsay Gething has done.
Late to the sport, David Gething is a Hong Kong based vet who discovered marathon racing when the birth of his first child prompted him to get fit.
Last month, David not only won the elite challenge, but set two world records – the fastest men’s average marathon time of 3 hours, 39 minutes, and 26 seconds, and the fastest world ‘777’ marathon accumulative time of 25 hours, 36 minutes, and 03 seconds.
The epitome of a marathon event, the global race requires its 12 participants to race seven 42.2 km races, a combined total of 295km, flying a total of 59 hours (business class) across 38 000 km as they make their way through seven continents encompassing Antarctica, South America (Chile’s Punta Arenas), North America (Miami), Europe (Spain’s Madrid), Africa (Morocco’s Marrakech), Asia (United Arab Emirates’s Dubai), and Australia (Sydney).
That David got through it was no surprise to proud parents Tim and Lindsay Gething. However they were surprised that he did so well.
“To get into those events you have to have proven yourself, have a track record, as not everyone can enter,” said Tim from his home in Dyers Crossing.
“But to be a successful marathon runner, you have to have a particular type of personality. And as a child, Tim wasn’t into sport at all.”
The determination to succeed in anything he tackles has stood the Hong Kong based vet in good stead.
Overcoming fatigue, sleep deprivation, jet lag, frostbite in his toes, and a stress fracture in one ankle, he completed the event still smiling, grateful for the support his fellow competitors lent to each other to get over the finish line.
And as if winning the challenge was not enough, he celebrated the following day by climbing the Harbour Bridge with his father and family, frostbite and all.
For those inspired, entries are now open for next year’s event.