Meet the 70-Year-Old Runner Who Ran 7 Marathons on 7 Continents in 7 Days

When Chau Smith was younger, she didn’t think much of running. “I thought it was the most boring sport,” the 70 year old told NBC News.

These days, Smith feels differently. The Kansas City resident recently ran seven marathons in seven consecutive days on seven continents in celebration of her 70th birthday — and she ran them all while wearing a pink pussyhat.

From January 25 to 31, 2017, Smith ran marathons in Perth, Australia; Singapore; Cairo, Egypt; Amsterdam, Netherlands; Garden City, New York; Punta Arenas, Chile; and King George Island, Antarctica. It’s part of a challenge called Triple 7 Quest, operated by Marathon Adventures, which planned the itinerary and logistics.

Of the eight people who joined the quest, six ran full marathons, and of those six, Smith was the oldest.

Smith says she may have broken a world record for the oldest person to run seven marathons in seven days and will be applying to the Guinness Book of World Records.

Steve Hibbs, 45, the founder of Marathon Adventures and an accomplished runner himself, said Smith epitomizes living life to its fullest. He’s traveled with her before on other running excursions he’s organized, and said that Smith was thrilled to try all the activities — including the Gorge Swing near Victoria Falls, Zambia, which involves free falling in a harness for about 230 feet over the Zambezi River.

“It’s just amazing what she did,” Hibbs said of Smith’s seven marathons. “If there’s anything to describe her, it’s ‘result.’ She wants to prove to herself that anybody of any age can go out and run and accomplish this type of feat.”