MEET MARATHON WOMAN
Meet Hilde Dosogne from Lochristi
However, a fear of injuries led to a break. In 2017, she resolves to give marathon running another go, determined to tackle the challenge in under 4 hours. Eventually, she succeeds after her tenth attempt.
Ceasing the pursuit? That’s not in Hilde’s nature. Swiftly, marathons cascaded one after the other, adorning her calendar. Each challenge bolder than the last. As the years go by, the married mother of four, supported by her husband Bruno, continually achieves one remarkable performance after another, leaving a lasting impression.
The project
Setting a World Record
Hilde’s goal is to run a marathon every single day of the year, becoming the first woman ever to do so. By achieving this extraordinary milestone, she will largely surpass the current women’s world record held by the Australian runner Erchana Murray-Bartlett, who completed 150 marathons in 150 consecutive days.
And… 2024 is a leap year, so that makes it 366 runs of 42.2 kilometres each!
If Hilde succeeds in this remarkable feat, she will also break the record held by her mentor and coach, Stefaan Engels, the one and only Marathon Man. In 2011, he made history by completing 365 marathons in just one year.
Everybody get moving!
The primary goal of this initiative is to promote healthy physical activity. Running a marathon every day is not a requirement by any means. The key is to incorporate sporty habits into the daily routine.
For this reason, the Marathon Woman team seeks to extend invitations to as many runners as possible to accompany Hilde during her record attempt. The name of the game is inclusion.
Level, gender, age, or background are not relevant. From absolute beginners to experienced athletes: everyone is welcome!
Supporting charitable causes
And, of course, the major driving force behind this project is to support various charitable initiatives. By engaging as many people, organisations, and associations as possible, our team aims to raise generous funds for a diverse range of charitable causes.
Like, for example, the Breast International Group (BIG), a non-profit organisation based in Belgium and the largest global network that brings together research groups from all parts of the world. BIG against breast cancer, the philanthropy unit of BIG, raises funds that are directly invested in BIG’s international academic breast cancer research. The primary aim of these studies is to improve the treatment and quality of life for breast cancer patients and ultimately finding a cure for this disease.
As this research comes with a substantial cost, and some important academic BIG studies are not financed by the pharmaceutical industry, funds are crucial.
Support BIG against breast cancer
The more people rally behind me and the more funds we can raise, the greater the significance of my challenge. I can assure you: every euro will fuel my determination to push forward, to endure, and never give up… Together, we have the power to make a difference. Together, we stand stronger, and together, we will overcome breast cancer faster.
Support and run virtually with Hilde
