366 Marathons in a Year?

I was digging around on YouTube for juicing information last night and came across this interview with a couple who ran a marathon every day for 366 days.  All on fruits and vegetables.

To be honest with you, I’m not even sure what that means.  I have “run” two marathons in my life, both at the end of an Ironman, about a year apart.  Simply running every day seems impossible to me.

What has me most curious about this is the raw food and vegetable part.  I know that is big time controversy in the world of athletics, which I find hilarious, because why do people get so pissed at athletes who endorse vegetarian lifestyles?  It’s like hating your neighbor because they believe in a different religion.  Oh, wait.

And granted, they were certainly not out there running for the podium, but in the interview they said their last 100 days were the strongest.  He’s in his 70’s, she’s in her 60’s and restored her health after getting breast cancer at 52.

Anyway, if they really did this, which I tend to believe in theory . . . i.e. . . I just ran 7.69 miles, but will have an incredible urge to tell people I ran 8.  I mean, “more or less, eight, right?”  We all do it, so I’m pretty sure this couple may have thrown in a few 25 milers along the way, but maybe not because I really dig this snippet from their “About Us” page:

Throughout the year 2013, to inspire and motivate conscious lifestyle choices, to promote kindness and compassion for all living beings and to raise environmental awareness for a sustainable future, we  ran together around Australia, 15,782km, running 366 marathons (43 km) each in 366 days, no days off. On January 1, 2014, we acquired world acclaim by setting a new World Record as the only couple over the age of 60 fuelled entirely on raw fruit and veg, wearing barefoot shoes, to run 366 consecutive marathons while Running Raw Around Australia.

The most important thing here is, the power of the body to regenerate itself.  I haven’t looked into their specific diet, but eating raw food has always made sense to me on a subconscious level because sustaining life seems to be about quality nutrients and hydration.  If we clog our arteries and organs for years, they eventually shut down.  Then we get diseases because our body can’t function or flush toxins.

It’s almost comical to me that nobody wants to hear that talk.

In 1974 the United States Department of Agriculture introduced the Food Pyramid.  Right there along the bottom, they suggested 7 – 11 servings of bread, cereal, rice or pasta every day.  I don’t know enough about science to question that stuff, but I wonder if that had anything to do with what United States farmers produce the most of?

Nearly everything I read about grains now seemingly positions them a step above poison.  I also love how the top of the pyramid has fats, oils, and sweets grouped together under the “use sparingly” category.  I’m not sure if it’s irony or downright deceit, but grains and “no fat” foods are probably the biggest reasons for the obesity crises in this country.

Anyway, back to this lovely couple.  They ran 366 marathons in as many days, and frankly, I think we should probably pay attention to some of the things they are saying.

Here’s their website.