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Chances are, if you’re reading this and are considering or have already completed one of our challenges, then you’re already a Global Half-Marathoner, Marathoner, Ultra-Marathoner or all of the above, so read on.....

GMC
GMC Virtual
A to Z
Lifetime Miles

How does a Global Marathon Challenge work?

Well, first you need to complete the challenge in question; 12 half marathons within a 12 month period, 26 marathons in a 52 week period, 52 marathons within a 52 week period, 10 ultra marathons within a 10 day period or perhaps our A-Z Challenge, as examples. Our challenges are no small undertaking but quite literally anyone can achieve them if they set their mind to it and that includes you!

Do the challenges have to be completed in a fixed calendar year - ie January to December?

Not at all - these can be completed in any rolling calendar period and started on any given date.

Does this have to be one event per day, per calendar week or per calendar month, depending on the challenge I pick, or can I do it in less time?

As long as you complete your challenge 'in', 'within', 'inside' the maximum time constraints of the challenge, then you can absolutely do them in less time and then start your next challenge. So, for example, 12 marathons 'within' 12 months, you can do them in any month - I.E you could do 3 in one month and then none for a couple of months and then carry on. Or you could do all 12 in one month and you're done!

What are the absolute maximum time constrains for each challenge?

10in10 Days - within any consecutive 10 day period or 240 hours. 26in52 Weeks - within any rolling 364 day period (see note below).
52in52 Weeks - within any rolling 364 day period (see note below).
100in52 Weeks - within any rolling 364 day period (see note below).
100in100 Weeks - within any rolling 100 week period, or 700 days.
12in12 Months - within any rolling 12 month period or 365 days (366 days if you pick a leap year).

(Please note: strictly speaking a challenge in 52 weeks would be 364 days, however our 52 marathons in 52 weeks was the very first global challenge we created and at the time we allowed a full year; 365 day period, or 366 days if it's a leap year, to complete this so it would be unfair to amend that now and therefore 52 weeks = 1 calendar year in GMC terms)

And how do I get one of these awesome accolades when I've done the running bit?

All you need to do is order your medal & personalised certificate and choice of running top in our online shop. You will need to submit a list of your events as proof of completion (see below)

Can I order in advance?

Yes and No. Let me explain.

YES - Some of our personalised options (namely our technical vests) have a longer lead time, so you can order them in advance so that they are here when you complete your challenge. We'll hold onto these for you until you complete your challenge and submit your final list.

YES - We unashamedly want you to come to a 'Phoenix' event to receive your awards if possible or better still - complete the final run of your chosen challenge at a Phoenix Running event and we'll present you with your awards personally.

YES - If you are completing your challenge at another event, we can, upon special arrangement, send your awards to the Race Director and they will present your awards to you. Please, please note, this cannot be guaranteed and you need to obtain the agreement from the respective Race Director. Then email us the details and we can post to them. That Race Director will then need to hold onto your awards and ONLY present them when you complete the challenge.

NO - What we can't do, and we have a very strict rule about this, is send awards out to the recipient themselves before the challenge is completed or before we have seen and vetted your event list. Please understand, that things do not always go to plan and if we've already sent out an award and then you don't finish that last event, then we have compromised GMC rules.

What are the postal / delivery options?

These can be selected when ordering - we post anywhere in the UK and abroad, including to the USA. All the postage to the USA is fully tracked.

Do I get anything else cool?

Yes, a certificate, it looks like this


Do I need to join anything in order to qualify?

No, simply order your items online and if we see you the very next day we'll give you your awards - simple. We can usually turn postage around within 24 / 48 hours.

Can I get one if I completed the global challenge a while ago?

Yes, you can. As long as you satisfy the challenge criteria these can be backdated as far as you like.

Do I need to submit a list of my events and where do I send it?

Yes you absolutely do. The only awards that do not require evidence are the Lifetime Miles Awards (see below)

As a minimum, your list MUST include the event date / official event name and your finish time. If you have the links to the results that's ideal but not a requirement as we can usually find those.

Please email your list to [email protected] and we'll do the rest. You'll hear back from us pretty quickly and we'll arrange to get you your medal, certificate and shirt(s).

Our challenges are a very serious undertaking and as such you have to prove you've done the running bit to get the bling...... which, of course, leads onto the 64 million dollar question.....

What if I've completed an event for Global Marathon Challenges and it doesn't fulfil one of the criteria or I'm not sure?

Simple - just ask us! We're all about 'inclusion' at Global Marathon Challenges and we reserve the right to use common sense and good judgement to decide what counts. If you entered and completed an event in good faith and can demonstrate this, then chances are it counts for GMC purposes!

What counts as a half-marathon, marathon or ultra marathon for Global Marathon Challenge purposes and what can I put on my list?

We're keeping this really simple as we're not advocates of creating rules for the sake of rules, and then more rules to create exceptions to those rules, and then some extra rules to explain those rules, and then a couple more rules which even we don't understand.

We think these rules are the simplest, most rounded, most robust set of rules as to what constitutes an organised half marathon, marathon or ultra marathon event and they are centred around completing a 13.1 mile, 26.2 mile or 27 mile+ distance.

For a comprehensive list of U.K. and Ireland Marathons see the 100 Marathon Club events list.

Here’s a summary of the key rules

  • Distances – half marathon is 13.1 miles or greater, marathon is 26.2 miles or greater and ultra marathon is 27 miles or greater and the competitor must have completed the whole distance advertised. (The distance that counts is the distance that’s advertised, not the distance on your GPS).

  • Normally 10 starters and 5 finishers and normally with results available.

  • Only official events / races count (not training runs).

  • Road or trail – any numbers of each is fine or all of one and none of the other.

  • The official event must be open to entry to the general public for at least 14 days before the event itself.

  • Staged races – if the individual stages are greater than 13.1 miles, 26.2 miles or 27 miles and have a separate set of results published for each distance / day then they count individually – doesn’t matter if you can’t enter the days separately – you still did a half marathon, marathon or ultra.

  • You can count a higher distance event towards a lower distance total; for example you can count a marathon in your half marathon total, or an ultra in your marathon or half marathon total, but it will only count as ‘one’ event – I.E you cannot count a marathon as two half marathons.

  • Virtual running events (unless completed at an attended / organised event), cannot be counted.