Running for Charity

Nick Butter is not your average runner—by a long stretch. Some recent feats: running for 24 hours on a treadmill; running from London to Paris; and clocking up an incredible 318 marathons and 42,000 miles in his running career so far.

Right now, though, the 28-year-old endurance athlete from Dorset in the United Kingdom, is in the midst of his biggest challenge to date: Running a marathon in every country in the world. That's 196 marathons in 196 countries, occasionally in official races but largely on routes Nick and his support team have devised specifically for this challenge.

Sometimes Nick runs alone, sometimes he has local runners for company. By almost six months into his journey, he had completed 55 marathons in 55 countries. It's estimated that completing the challenge will take 692 days—close to two years—and, if successful, will break eight world records. It's all to raise money for a prostate cancer charity with more than $22,000 donated so far (at the time of writing).

We caught up with Nick to find out how long it took to plan, why he's doing it and how those feet are holding up.

Two years in the planning

“When I tell people what I'm doing they say, 'Oh, that sounds like a really exciting trip.' And it is, I love it. But they don't tend to think about the logistics.

“It took just over two years to put together with a team of 20 very patient people including nutritionists, psychologists, security and visa specialists. We had to plan the route and timings, understand weather conditions, find funding and think about travel. I've filled two passports already with all the visas and stamps and I'll probably get through six. I need multiple passports so I can be using one while the other is sent away to get visas for the next countries."

The motivation behind the mission

“I was running the Marathon des Sables and met a runner called Kevin Webber. Kev seemed so jolly and happy and then he dropped the bombshell that he had terminal prostate cancer and had been given two years to live. He completely changed my attitude to life and gave me the kick up the backside I needed to do this.

“The prostate cancer sector is underfunded across the world and I wanted to do something that was big enough to get people talking about the disease and raise awareness of the symptoms. I want to come back having raised £250,000 (about $335,000) for Prostate Cancer UK and make Kev proud."

Never running alone

“I'm traveling on my own but I've met some amazing people along the way and that's what makes this trip so special. The U.S. was my second stop and the people there were so enthusiastic and friendly I immediately felt at home. In El Salvador around 1,000 people came out to run with me including athletes and kids. In Ghana I ran [a section of the marathon] with two Paralympic cyclists. One, Alem Mumuni, is a polio survivor. He has one leg but he clocked four miles at a pace I struggled to keep up with!

“In Sierra Leone, where my friend is a doctor, she introduced me to some of her patients in the hospital. I've also had people offer their homes for me to stay the night and taxi drivers taking me under their wing. I think if it was any different, the trip would be miserable. I've made friends across the world."

Bitten by dogs, paying officials and dodging drivers

“While I've had so many incredible experiences there have also been plenty of challenges. There have been times when my flight has been canceled and [as a result] I've had to take land transport through Africa, which is crazy. Paying off different officials at checkpoints and border crossings to get into the next country.

“I was bitten by a dog in Tunisia and had to fly home to get it seen to. In Venezuela there's such a bad currency crisis there is literally no money available in the banks or ATMs. I was running in the capital, Caracas, which has one of the highest kidnap rates in the world so I was feeling vulnerable anyway—but I also had no currency. I had to beg a shopkeeper to give me some water.

“To be honest, though, the biggest danger so far has been cars. The traffic in some places has been horrendous. I've had cars bumping me out of the way numerous times. But then, in some countries they're not used to seeing people running."

A glimpse of North Korea

“I had to go through the official Pyongyang marathon route to get to North Korea but it was amazing. I love photography and got some really great shots of the landmarks and people.

“You do feel like you're in a society where everybody is hyper aware of what they're saying and doing though. It was incredibly regimented. During the marathon we ran through a stadium and there was a conductor at each stand conducting the clapping to make sure the spectators were completely in sync. It was bizarre."

Giving the feet a boost

“I'm running in Adidas Ultra Boost. They're so comfortable they're basically like slippers but with a sole.

“Sometimes I'm running on roads, sometimes beaches, sometimes rocks, sometimes through the water, on dodgy ground or sinking sand. In La Paz, in Bolivia, I was running up and down big, concrete steps. I'm not a fan of trail shoes so even though I've run on every terrain imaginable I've worn Boosts throughout.

“When I'm not running I wear Scarpa walking boots as they're protective and keep my ankles and feet in place."

Physical and mental challenges

“I know it sounds ridiculous, but physically I feel fine. I've got a few blisters, lots of mosquito bites and a bit of a sore hip flexor. I'm aching but I don't feel like I've run 49 marathons. I've put in the training and I'm running at a leisurely pace taking photos, chatting with locals and stopping for food.

“Mentally I'm far more exhausted. I'm spending between one and three days in a country and it's quite relentless. Arriving late and finding where you need to be, getting up to run at 4 or 5am not knowing whether it's going to be 30 degrees or 10 degrees Celsius [86 degrees or 50 degrees Fahrenheit]. Running a marathon, eating, showering, sleeping, getting to the airport, and doing it again.

“I'm taking 11 pills a day to help me stay fit and healthy and ensure I get enough vitamins in my body. But when it gets tough I just think how lucky I am to be able to do this."

I still love running

“Sometimes I've slept in the back of a taxi at 2am waiting for a ferry, I'm dirty, I go to bed and have no idea where I am in the world. But once I've got up and run, and I've done those 26.2 miles, I feel like I completely know where I am. I've got my bearings, I know what the people are like. You get a gauge of what they think of you. It sounds silly, but I feel like I'm starting to get a whole context of the planet I live in."

You can find out more about Nick's journey and discover his itinerary at runningtheworld196.com follow him on Instagram at @NickButterRun and Twitter @NickButterRun.