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December 1, 2022

World Marathon Challenge, 7 marathons on 7 continents in 7 days

Foyer supports employee Pit Van Rijswijck’s sports challenge to fight brain cancer.

Discover a new video every week with Pit’s Running Tips.

Foyer is supporting the sports challenge of one of its employees, Pit Van Rijswijck, in his fight for research into brain cancer, glioblastoma.

Pit Van Rijswijck is no ordinary employee. Alongside his professional career, he has a real passion for sport, to a level that goes well beyond that of the usual amateur. He has been running for over 15 years and has completed around 20 marathons and dozens of ultra-marathons.

Over the years, he shared this passion with his father Tun, and together they have  ran many marathons in Norway, Greenland and the Alps. Unfortunately, in February 2020, Tun was diagnosed with a brain tumour. It was the most aggressive form: glioblastoma. When Tun died suddenly in June 2020, it came as a devastating blow to Pit and his loved ones.

What is glioblastoma?

Glioblastoma is the most common, aggressive and invasive primary brain tumour. Unfortunately, it cannot be cured with current treatments.

This is because the glioblastoma cells that grow and multiply in the brain spread throughout the tissue, making it difficult or impossible to remove them surgically.

Brain tumours account for about 2% of all cancers, and their treatment remains a major clinical challenge. Treatment options are limited, both on account of the biological complexity of cancer cells and the sophistication of the human nervous system.

Within a short period, the disease had an extremely detrimental impact on Tun’s health, a person who was in good shape, physically and intellectually.

To pay tribute to his father and their shared passion, Pit decided to really put himself to the test by taking part in the “World Marathon Challenge”, which will take place from 31 January to 6 February 2023. This event requires an incredible level of physical fitness, because the challenge is to run 7 marathons on 7 continents in 7 days.

Always looking for new challenges, the World Marathon Challenge, which has fascinated him for years, is the ideal occasion for this tribute, giving him the opportunity to set foot on every continent.

The event, which was to take place in 2021, has already been postponed twice, let’s hope that this time it goes ahead.

At the same time as this sporting adventure, Pit, in partnership with the Foyer Group, is conducting a huge fundraising campaign, with all the proceeds going to Fondation Cancer, to support research into glioblastoma. Its goal is to raise €100,000.

The Foyer Group has supported charitable and research projects for many years, and is pleased to confirm its donation of €25,000 to Fondation Cancer.

From Friday 25th  November, you can watch a new video every week on the Foyer Facebook page. You will find interviews with Pit and his tips on preparing for the various marathons. 15 video clips called “Pit’s Running Tips” will be unveiled every Friday until the end of the year and from the beginning of 2023 every Tuesday and Friday until 31st  January inclusive, the day of his first marathon in Antarctica.

In these videos, Pit will give you advice and tips on how to become a successful runner.

Through his own experience, he will guide you through the different stages of training and give you recommendations to avoid injury.

« Pit’s Running Tips »

15 thematic video clips will be presented to you:

1 – What is the World Marathon Challenge?

2 – What is my training plan?

3 – How do I recover between races

4 – Travel, sleep and jet lag…

5 – How do I manage temperature and climate variations

6 – How many marathons do I need to have run to take part in the WMC?

7 – How can I avoid getting injured

8 – How can I spread the effort over 7 marathons

9 – Tough on Antarctica

10 – Dubai, a night marathon 

11 – Miami. The last 42 km.

12 – Are they real marathons

13 – Which shoes should I wear to run 7 marathons?

14 – Should heart rate be used as an indicator?

15 – Running 7 marathons: good or bad for your health?

7 continents 

Antarctica – Novo, Africa – Cape Town, Australia – Perth, Asia – Dubai, Europe – Madrid, South America – Fortaleza and North America – Miamintarctique – Novo, Afrique – Le Cap, Australie – Perth, Asie – Dubaï, Europe – Madrid, Amérique du Sud – Fortaleza  et Amérique du Nord – Miami

The Challenge

The World Marathon Challenge is an incredible logistical and physical challenge, with the goal of running 7 marathons on 7 continents in 7 days, or 168 hours.

On 31stJanuary 2023, the first marathon is scheduled to start in Novo (Antarctica) and is followed by marathons in Cape Town (Africa), Perth (Australia), Dubai (Asia), Madrid (Europe), Fortaleza (South America) and Miami (North America).

Antarctica

The Antarctic Intercontinental Marathon will take place on Novo’s aircraft ice runway on 31st  January.

The event is on a route measured and approved by the Antarctic Athletics Federation (AAF) and consists of eight loops of the 5.25 km perimeter of the runway.

Africa

The Africa Intercontinental Marathon will take place at Sea Point Promenade in Cape Town on 1st  February.

The event is scheduled to start in front of the Winchester Mansions Hotel and consists of six loops of 7.3 km on a flat, scenic course.

Australia

The Australia Intercontinental Marathon will take place next to the Burswood Water Sports Centre in Perth on 2nd  February.

The event is on a multi-loop course on the footpath along the River Swan.

Asia

The Asia Intercontinental Marathon will take place at Jumereih Beach, Dubai, on 3rd February.

The event consists of a multi-loop course on a flat purpose-built walkway between Kite Beach (opposite 61 Al Hadd Street) and the Lifeguard Tower (end of Al Atthar Street).

Europe

The Europe Intercontinental Marathon will take place at the Jarama Formula 1 circuit in Madrid on 4th  February.

The event consists of 11 loops of the 3.85 km circuit that was once home to the Spanish Grand Prix.

South America

The South American Intercontinental Marathon will take place along Beira.mar (Iraceema Teresa Hinko St.) in Fortaleza, Brazil on 5th  February.

North America

The North America Intercontinental Marathon will take place at South Beach, Miami, on 6th  February.

The event is scheduled to start near 5th Street and Serpentine, and the course consists of five loops of 8.43 km along the world-famous path/boardwalk on the Atlantic Ocean.

Be part of it too, together against brain cancer!

To take part in this adventure and help advance research, make a donation to Fondation Cancer https://don.cancer.lu/runningagainstcancer/~mon-don and follow Pit Van Rijswijck’s exploits on the https://www.bce.lu/running-against-cancer/ page specially dedicated to his challenge, as well as the 15 “Pit’s Running Tips” video clips unveiled each week on the Foyer Facebook page.

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