Dubai: Wendelin Lauxen, a Dubai-based ultra-marathon runner, broke the world record for fastest completion of seven marathons across all seven continents by some 12 hours last Saturday.
His successful completion of the 65km Two Oceans Marathon in Cape Town, South Africa, in five hours, 58 minutes and three seconds, ended a 29-day onslaught by the 50-year-old German, which started in Antarctica on March 9.
Running in aid of the Little Wings Foundation and the Palestinian Children's Relief Fund, Lauxen, who rose to fame locally for running 573.5km across all seven of the UAE's emirates inside 81 hours and 53 minutes last January, smashed Canadian Richard Takata's current 29 day 16 hour and 17 minute record with 12 hours left to spare.
Overcoming setback
Having started the first marathon in the Antarctic on March 9 (5:48) Lauxen missed the flight for Benguela Weskus Marathon in Langebaan, South Africa, on March 17, almost ending his quest for World Record honours. However, completion of the World Down's Syndrome Marathon in Furth, Germany, on March 18 (4:22) and the Dual Motutapu Marathon in Auckland, New Zealand, on March 24 (5:49) put things back on track.
He went on to run the River City Marathon in Sacramento, United States, on March 25 (4:07), the Tel Aviv Marathon on March 30 (4:24) and the Santiago Marathon in Chile on April 1 (4:10).
Due back in Dubai on April 14, Lauxen is now busy verifying his official time of completion with adjudicators from the Guiness Book of World Records, before the record can be fully confirmed.
