A Delaware mother of four is preparing to take on an extraordinary challenge: running seven marathons on seven continents in just seven days, all while raising money for local charities.
Michelle Ray, founder of Wilmington-based Blackwell HR, is one of just 55 runners participating in the Great World Race, a grueling 183-mile journey around the globe.
Her husband submitted an application for her to participate, and when organizers called to say she had been accepted, there was no turning back.
“It’s seven marathons in seven days on seven continents we have 168 hours from the time it starts to get through all seven continents and all seven marathons,” Ray said.
Ray has spent more than a year training for the challenge, which will take runners through dramatically different climates and conditions.
“The climate change is what makes it unique, we start in Antarctica so having to have four layers and then be able to go to a continent where it might be ninety degrees with a hundred percent humidity,” Ray said.
The runners will first gather in South Africa before traveling to Antarctica for their opening marathon. From there, they’ll race in Cape Town, South Africa; Perth, Australia; Singapore; Portugal; Cartagena, Colombia; and finally Miami.
Chartered flights will transport the runners between continents, and a medical team will accompany them throughout the journey.
Ray has even prepared a fresh pair of Hoka running shoes for each day of racing.
She hopes to join a group of fewer than 100 women who have completed the challenge and believes she will be the first Delawarean to attempt it.
Participating in the Great World Race comes with a hefty price tag. Ray is covering the cost of the challenge, which appears to be around $60,000.
But she’s also turning the experience into an opportunity to give back.
With the support of a corporate sponsor, Ray is using the race to raise money for seven area nonprofits and has already collected significant donations.
“In the spirit of seven, I selected seven non profits that I’ll be running for,” Ray said.
For Ray, the charitable mission is just as important as crossing the finish line.
“When I decided to commit to the great world race I knew it was really important for me to run for something bigger than me,” she said.
Back home in Delaware, Ray has plenty of people cheering her on, including her colleagues at Blackwell HR, the company she founded.
Moira McFarlin, one of Ray’s coworkers, said the determination required to complete the race reflects the values Ray brings to her business.
“AT Blackwell hr we have these core values rooted in determination innovation integrity teamwork and being service driven and she is exhibiting all of that in and out of the workplace,” McFarlin said.
Running 183 miles in seven days across seven continents would be intimidating for almost anyone. But Ray is approaching the challenge the same way she has approached her training runs: one step at a time.
And with seven charities benefiting from her efforts, every step will count for something beyond the finish line.
This story was originally reported for broadcast by NBC Philadelphia. AI tools helped convert the story to a digital article, and an NBC Philadelphia journalist edited the article for publication.
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