Mike Wardian broke one of the most grueling marathon records in history. The ultra-marathon standout ran seven marathons in seven days across seven continents with an average finishing time of 2:45:56.

Wardian finished the World Marathon Challenge by winning the final race in Sydney, Australia on Sunday. Wardian broke the previous record by over 45 minutes and finished an average of 22 minutes and 40 seconds ahead of runner-up Petr Vabrousek. In total, Wardian won all seven marathons in seven days, which covered Union Glacier (Antartica), Punta Arenas (South America), Miami (North America), Madrid (Europe), Marrakesh (Africa), Dubai (Asia), and ended with a final victory in Sydney (Australia).

Wardian's fastest marathon was a 2:37:56 victory in Miami, which marked his third marathon performance of the week.



"I am sorry for the delay, yesterday was a surreal dream come true and was spent sharing the experience with the world. So thankful for you all being out there supporting me #relentless #thankful," Wardian wrote in a message on his Instagram page.


Recently retired Olympian Ryan Hall also completed the challenge with an average marathon time of 3:39:36, which earned fifth overall. Hall competed to raise support for the Dream Center, a volunteer-run organization that assists the homeless population in the Los Angeles area.