China's Grand Slam adventurer fulfils ultimate marathon challenge

Jin Feibao is on the snow mountain. (Photo by interviewee)

Jin Feibao, a legendary Chinese adventurer who conquered the highest peak on every continent and reached both the North and South Poles in a record 18 months and 24 days, has finished the ultimate challenge of running 100 marathons in 100 days.

Now the 60-year-old wants to get more people involved in sports and running.

"If you can climb Mount Qomolangma, you can run a marathon," said a friend of Jin after he achieved the "Grand Slam" climbing feat in 2007.

Jin decided to give it a shot.

Jin Feibao is running the marathon. (Photo by interviewee)

After finishing his first full marathon in the eastern Chinese city of Yantai, Jin's love for marathons grew day by day, and he soon completed all six World Marathon Majors.

He then spent over two years running in the mountains, deserts, jungles, and polar regions, covering at least 100 km in each event, and finally completed the "777 challenge" in 2018, finishing seven marathons on seven continents within seven days.

"If reaching the summits of the seven continents is the height of my life, then running marathons on these seven continents represents the speed of my life," Jin said.

But the adventurous runner was not willing to stop there.

Also in 2018, Jin started his project of "Fairyland Marathon" and ran 100 marathons in 100 consecutive days in 100 beautiful countryside locations in southwest China's Yunnan Province, aiming to promote the stunning scenic spots and intangible cultural heritage there.

"Every single one of them is so memorable," said Jin. "On the first day, I was in the snowy mountains; the next day, I reached a river valley. When I was hungry, I had rice noodles to eat and Pu'er tea to drink when thirsty. There were always fresh plums and peaches brought by local people."

However, such wonderful memories almost went up in flames as Jin conquered the Jiaozi Snow Mountain, the highest peak in Yunnan.

Suffering from severe pain in his knees and ankle joints, the then 55-year-old had to take painkillers daily before lifting the well-deserved trophy on the 100th day.

"Speed is not the challenge for me, but the endurance to keep running," Jin said. "I did it before I turned 60."

The success of the Yunnan project made Jin realize the huge potential of marathon running for both health and cultural purposes. Now the Chinese marathon legend is planning a route crossing China's 56 ethnic groups, showcasing the humanities, ethnic cultures, and natural scenery of the country, hoping to get more people involved in marathons.

"Just go running. You will see a different world and discover a different self," Jin said.