Wojtek Machnik was due to run a marathon on the British island of Guernsey last Sunday in what would have been his jubilee, 100th race - a feat the Polish runner is aiming to achieve in two years' time, becoming fast.
But that marathon and six others booked by Machnik in the Middle East and Europe have all been canceled due to the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic, putting his world record attempt on hold.
With his plans scuppered by forced suspensions of sporting events following the coronavirus outbreak, the 42-year-old decided to run his first ever marathon at home when he was kept under a mandatory two-week quarantine following his most recent trip. last in Yemen, writes Al Jazeera.
Dressed like a marathon runner, in a T-shirt and shorts, Machnik meticulously walked clockwise and counter-clockwise in a space within 7.5 meters around his bed inside a small rented room in the Polish capital, Warsaw. He did this more than 5.600 times over nine hours, taking phone calls and walking in the middle of the "race", to eventually complete the total distance of 42.2 kilometers.
"When you're in a room for two weeks, there's no way you can do anything crazier than that," Machnik said with a laugh.
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The global coronavirus pandemic, which is believed to have originated in Wuhan, China in December last year, has brought everything to a standstill, including the closing of borders. More than one million people have been infected in 180 countries around the world, while the global death toll has exceeded 50, reports Koha Ditore.
To prevent the spread of the disease, governments have asked their citizens to stay at home. Access to public parks and beaches is prohibited or restricted, but that hasn't stopped everyone like Machnik, who used indoor spaces to complete a marathon race.
Virtual marathons
Z Adventures, a Qatar-based sports travel company that organizes races around the world, launched a virtual challenge last week, called Circuit Self-Isolator, for challenging runners to complete the marathon distance in their homes. them for a maximum period of one week.
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The idea was to raise awareness about physical distancing, staying at home, while also encouraging people to stay active. From the UK, China, USA, France, to the Caribbean, South Africa and Nigeria - more than 150 people took part in this challenge.
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