Seven Marathons in Seven Days
A runner from West Dunbartonshire successfully completed seven marathons across seven continents within seven days to honor the memory of his teenage brother.
Bobby White undertook the demanding challenge, running each 26.2-mile (42.2 km) race with an average finish time of 5:09:58.
His younger brother Anton passed away at age 15 in 2004. Since then, Bobby's family has raised over £100,000 for the Glasgow Hospital Children's Charity.
Bobby shared with BBC Scotland's News at Seven programme:
"Ordinary people can do extraordinary things."
The father of two from Clydebank, West Dunbartonshire, personally funded the $49,500 USD (£36,749) World Marathon Challenge.
World Marathon Challenge Route and Details
Launched in 2015, the challenge began with a remote run at Ultima Base, Antarctica, on 31 January.
Subsequent marathons took place in Cape Town, South Africa; Perth, Australia; and Dubai, UAE.
Competitors then traveled to Madrid, Spain for the European leg, followed by Fortaleza, Brazil.
The final marathon was held in Miami, US, concluding on 6 February.
This demanding event has been completed by fewer than 250 people worldwide.
Challenges Faced During the Race
Bobby, 45, revealed that his fundraising effort nearly ended during the Antarctica marathon, which he had anticipated most eagerly.
He explained:
"My calves blew up 5 to 6km in and caused me a whole lot of problems to the point I thought I was going to DNF [Did Not Finish] and probably not start the second.
"I kind of went into a deep, dark place.
"I cried. I had put so much into this."
He reflected on the publicity generated before the challenge and his fear of disappointing supporters.
Bobby recounted meeting a fellow runner, Serge, who motivated him:
"And then I met big Serge. What a guy!
"He saw me on the start line in Cape Town and I had been crying on the way down.
"There was 500m to walk and he just said 'I can see you are in pain. You are going to need to find the strength to do this.'"
Serge was also running in memory of his late son, which helped Bobby refocus and push through the pain for the remaining six races.
Memorable Moments and Race Statistics
Bobby highlighted crossing the finish line with relatives in Australia and completing the Madrid marathon as personal highlights.
Over the seven days, he ran a total of 183 miles (295 km) and spent approximately 68 hours in the air traveling between locations.
The 2026 edition of the World Marathon Challenge included 51 participants who faced temperatures ranging from -10°C (14°F) to 30°C (86°F).
Remembering Anton and Family Support
Bobby was in his early 20s when his brother Anton died from an undiagnosed heart condition.
He said:
"He was 15 years old and just getting to the good part of his life.
"He was the best wee brother ever.
"Grief still lasts to this day. It's hard."
During their grieving process, the family received support from Yorkhill Children's Charity, now known as Glasgow Hospital Children's Charity.
Bobby expressed his motivation:
"I wanted to repay the charity and we have been fundraising ever since."
Commitment to the Challenge
Although Bobby had completed marathons previously, he felt the need to undertake a more significant challenge this time.
He stated:
"This time I really wanted to commit fully to something big."
"One marathon was not going to be enough for me personally.
"It is totally enough for anybody else and it is a big achievement.
"I just knew I had more in me."
Through his JustGiving page, Bobby has raised over £32,000 to date.
He added:
"I've seen first hand the difference this is going to make and I'm so proud to be able to have done this."
Charity Response
Kirsten Watson, chief executive of Glasgow Children's Hospital Charity, expressed gratitude for the ongoing support.
She commented:
"Completing the World Marathon Challenge is a monumental achievement, and we had no doubt that Bobby would have the strength and heart to make it to the finish line.
"The funds the White family have generously raised in memory of Anton for the charity over the years have made a life-changing difference to children in hospital."
