Bitten by a wild dog, he rested only three days
At 46, Matthew is Portuguese and runs a scaffolding company in the Algarve. With a comfortable life, he has always preferred a slow-paced lifestyle and never engaged in strenuous exercise. "I’ve never even tried long-distance walking, let alone marathon running." But 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, that doesn’t mean I can’t. I want to tell those who say I can’t last five days: 'You’re wrong. Even if I drop dead, I will finish.'"
Normally, such an intense marathon journey would require a support team. But Matthew’s only companion 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 roughing it in the car. 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.
Matthew ran northward along the Atlantic coast. Though he started slowly, the early days went fairly smoothly. But once he entered Spain, the trouble began—Matthew doesn’t speak Spanish. "I can get the gist of spoken Spanish, but I can’t read it, especially road signs. So I often ran the wrong way, had to turn back after asking for directions, which drained a lot of my energy and focus."
In the mountainous northern region of Spain, Matthew faced major challenges. He was attacked several times by wild 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 terrifying—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 100 marathons in 100 days, over the next few days, Matthew ran extra kilometers each day to make up for the over 120 kilometers he would have covered in those three rest days.
Trained for just four months before setting out, risking disability
"Although no one except my dad is supervising me, I can’t cheat—because 100 marathons in 100 days is a promise I made 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 once he recovered, he wanted to do something for young cancer patients. I immediately said to him, 'That’s a great idea. Let’s go on a hiking trip—I’ll walk every step with you.' Phil was thrilled, and we even started planning the route," Matthew said sadly. "But in the end, Phil left us."I have 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.
After wrapping up his company affairs last September, 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 have to 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 trained for just a few months, set off wearing a GPS sports watch.
"After every marathon, Matthew is so exhausted he can barely walk, but he never complains. He just silently ices his legs and disinfects his scraped skin with iodine," said his father Luther, who often gives his son leg massages. "The next day, Matthew is back on the road. 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 but running."
Starting from Portugal and crossing Spain, Matthew has now entered France, having completed 76 marathons. Next, he plans to continue toward the UK, aiming to arrive in London on April 21 and finish his 100th marathon at the London Marathon the following day. But Matthew hasn’t given much thought to how he’ll celebrate the finish: "I don’t need a big celebration—just a beer will do."
Reported by Shen Zhijun. Yesterday at 6:30 a.m., Matthew Luther stretched his sore muscles, ate a bowl of cereal, and hurriedly “started work.” For Matthew, this “job” is something he’s never done before: running marathons. He’s been living this life for 73 days now, with the goal of running 100 marathons in 100 consecutive days.
A marathon is 42.195 kilometers, roughly the distance from Hangzhou West Bus Station to Lin’an District (42.1 km). Some run marathons for fitness, others to push their physical limits, and some for fame. Why does this seemingly crazy Matthew run marathons? "It’s simple—I’m fulfilling a promise to a deceased friend," Matthew said.
Matthew’s Data Log
Rewards himself with a cup of coffee after each marathon.
Took a three-day break due to a wild dog bite.
His best time so far is 3 hours, 35 minutes, and 41 seconds; his slowest is 7 hours, 19 minutes, and 6 seconds.
Since starting training last September, he has lost 16 kilograms.
Spent £400 on bandages and painkillers alone.
Total distance covered: 4,219.5 kilometers.
Each marathon burns 2,700 calories.
At 46, Matthew is Portuguese and runs a scaffolding company in the Algarve. With a comfortable life, he has always preferred a slow-paced lifestyle and never engaged in strenuous exercise. "I’ve never even tried long-distance walking, let alone marathon running." But 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, that doesn’t mean I can’t. I want to tell those who say I can’t last five days: 'You’re wrong. Even if I drop dead, I will finish.'"
Normally, such an intense marathon journey would require a support team. But Matthew’s only companion 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 roughing it in the car. 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.
Matthew ran northward along the Atlantic coast. Though he started slowly, the early days went fairly smoothly. But once he entered Spain, the trouble began—Matthew doesn’t speak Spanish. "I can get the gist of spoken Spanish, but I can’t read it, especially road signs. So I often ran the wrong way, had to turn back after asking for directions, which drained a lot of my energy and focus."
In the mountainous northern region of Spain, Matthew faced major challenges. He was attacked several times by wild 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 terrifying—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 100 marathons in 100 days, over the next few days, Matthew ran extra kilometers each day to make up for the over 120 kilometers he would have covered in those three rest days.
Trained for just four months before setting out, risking disability
"Although no one except my dad is supervising me, I can’t cheat—because 100 marathons in 100 days is a promise I made 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 once he recovered, he wanted to do something for young cancer patients. I immediately said to him, 'That’s a great idea. Let’s go on a hiking trip—I’ll walk every step with you.' Phil was thrilled, and we even started planning the route," Matthew said sadly. "But in the end, Phil left us."I have 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.
After wrapping up his company affairs last September, 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 have to 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 trained for just a few months, set off wearing a GPS sports watch.
"After every marathon, Matthew is so exhausted he can barely walk, but he never complains. He just silently ices his legs and disinfects his scraped skin with iodine," said his father Luther, who often gives his son leg massages. "The next day, Matthew is back on the road. 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 but running."
Starting from Portugal and crossing Spain, Matthew has now entered France, having completed 76 marathons. Next, he plans to continue toward the UK, aiming to arrive in London on April 21 and finish his 100th marathon at the London Marathon the following day. But Matthew hasn’t given much thought to how he’ll celebrate the finish: "I don’t need a big celebration—just a beer will do."
Reported by Shen Zhijun. Yesterday at 6:30 a.m., Matthew Luther stretched his sore muscles, ate a bowl of cereal, and hurriedly “started work.” For Matthew, this “job” is something he’s never done before: running marathons. He’s been living this life for 73 days now, with the goal of running 100 marathons in 100 consecutive days.
A marathon is 42.195 kilometers, roughly the distance from Hangzhou West Bus Station to Lin’an District (42.1 km). Some run marathons for fitness, others to push their physical limits, and some for fame. Why does this seemingly crazy Matthew run marathons? "It’s simple—I’m fulfilling a promise to a deceased friend," Matthew said.
Matthew’s Data Log
Rewards himself with a cup of coffee after each marathon.
Took a three-day break due to a wild dog bite.
His best time so far is 3 hours, 35 minutes, and 41 seconds; his slowest is 7 hours, 19 minutes, and 6 seconds.
Since starting training last September, he has lost 16 kilograms.
Spent £400 on bandages and painkillers alone.
Total distance covered: 4,219.5 kilometers.
Each marathon burns 2,700 calories.