Surprisingly, on January 14 of this year, Matthew bid farewell to his wife and children, then began his marathon challenge. "Although I’ve never run a marathon before, that doesn’t mean I can’t do it. To those who say I can’t last five days, I say: 'You’re wrong. Even if I drop dead, I will finish this.'"
In principle, such an intense marathon journey should have a support team. But the only person accompanying Matthew was his 84-year-old father, Tom Luther. The elder Luther drove a small vehicle loaded with energy bars, water, food, and a first-aid kit, providing logistical support for his son along the way. At night, the father and son stayed in budget hotels or tents, sometimes even roughing it in the car. But no matter where they were, Matthew would fall asleep instantly, as the physical exertion was unlike anything he had ever experienced—he was utterly exhausted.
Running northward along the Atlantic coastline, Matthew’s early days were slow but mostly smooth. However, once he entered Spain, the trouble began—Matthew doesn’t speak Spanish. "I can roughly understand spoken Spanish, but I can’t read it, especially road signs. So I often ran the wrong way, had to ask for directions, and then turn around, which drained a lot of my energy and focus."
In the mountainous regions of northern Spain, Matthew faced major challenges. He was attacked several times by stray dogs, and one even bit a large gash into his ankle. With an infected wound, Matthew had to stop running and seek treatment at a local hospital. Unexpectedly, he was sidelined for three days. "It was terrible—I couldn’t do anything those three days," Matthew said. "On the fourth day, feeling slightly better, I hit the road again because I couldn’t afford to waste any more time." To complete his goal of running 100 marathons in 100 days, Matthew had to run extra kilometers in the following days to make up for the over 120 kilometers he lost during those three rest days.
Started training just 4 months ago, now at risk of disability
"Although no one except my dad is supervising me, I can’t cheat. Because running 100 marathons in 100 days is my promise to Phil," Matthew said earnestly. "Maybe Phil is watching me run from heaven."
Phil Latham was Matthew’s close friend, but the 36-year-old passed away from cancer two years ago. During Phil’s hospitalization, Matthew visited him many times. "One day when I went to the hospital, Phil was in high spirits, almost like he was about to be discharged. He told me that after recovering, he wanted to do something for young cancer patients. I told him right then: 'That’s a great idea. Let’s go on a hiking trip, and I’ll walk every step with you.'"
Sadly, Phil eventually passed away. I want to fulfill his wish and also raise £100,000 for a youth cancer charity. £100,000 is no small sum, and a hiking trip might not have enough impact, so I decided to run marathons—100 of them in 100 days.
In September 2011, after wrapping up his company affairs, Matthew began his first-ever long-distance running training. "I ran every day, even with blisters on my feet, I kept going," Matthew said. "Phil may be gone, but I must keep my promise to him." Although his coach advised him to train for a year before embarking on this adventure—otherwise, the intense physical strain could cause permanent damage to his muscles and bones, possibly even leading to disability—Matthew, who had only trained for a few months, set off wearing a GPS sports watch.
"After each marathon, Matthew would be too exhausted to walk, but he never complained. He’d just silently ice his legs and disinfect his scraped skin with iodine," said his father Luther, who often gave his son leg massages. "The next day, Matthew would set off again. But I know he’s doing something truly remarkable. All I can do is support him logistically, so he doesn’t have to worry about anything other than running."
Starting from Portugal and crossing Spain, Matthew had already entered France yesterday, completing a total of 76 marathons. Next, he plans to continue running toward the UK, aiming to arrive in London on April 21, then finishing his 100th marathon at the London Marathon the following day. But as for how he’ll celebrate the finish, Matthew hasn’t given it much thought: "I don’t need a big celebration—just a beer will do."
For Matthew, this "job"—running marathons—is something he’s never done before. He’s been living this life for 73 days now, with the goal of running 100 consecutive marathons in 100 days.
Matthew’s Stats
Treats himself to a coffee after each marathon.
Took a 3-day break after being bitten by stray dogs.
Best time so far: 3 hours, 35 minutes, 41 seconds; slowest time: 7 hours, 19 minutes, 6 seconds.
Since starting training last September, he has lost 16 kilograms.
Spent £400 just on bandages and painkillers.
Total distance covered: 4,219.5 kilometers.
Each marathon burns 2,700 calories.
Goal: Raise £100,000 for charity.