Marathon brothers take on the world

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This article was published 29/01/2025 (262 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Of all the whimsical ideas Rob and Charlie Tétrault had as kids, a trip to Antarctica may have seemed the most far-fetched.

So it’ll be something of a dream come true for the Winnipeg brothers when they touch down on the southernmost, ice-covered continent Friday to begin a weeklong endeavour that tests their mental and physical limits.

The Tétraults, and 62 other runners from around the world, have set out to complete the World Marathon Challenge, which will see them run seven marathons in seven days across seven continents.

The first race will take place at Ultima Base on Friday. Stops in Cape Town, South Africa, Perth (Australia), Dubai (United Arab Emirates), Madrid (Spain) and Fortaleza (Brazil) will follow. By the time they cross their final finish line in Miami, Fla. on Feb. 6, the brothers will have run 295.4 kilometres.

“I don’t consider it ‘putting my body through something.’ I consider this an unbelievable opportunity to do what I love doing, to travel to see places, to hang out with people who are passionate like me. It’s kind of like a fantasy camp for runners,” younger brother Rob, 43, told the Free Press on Wednesday from Cape Town, where competitors met before departing for the first leg of the challenge.

“We’re just going to go out and go for a jog every morning and have a great day.”

“I don’t consider it ‘putting my body through something.’ I consider this an unbelievable opportunity to do what I love doing … It’s kind of like a fantasy camp for runners”–Rob Tétrault

It’s the eighth iteration of the challenge, which ran from 2015-2020 and in 2023. It costs about $70,000 per person to enter, and it’s open to anyone looking to push themselves.

The Winnipeggers feel they’re up to the challenge.

The Tétraults have tested themselves since they started running to lead healthier lifestyles in 2022. Since then, Charlie has completed 11 marathons — Rob has run even more — including the Boston Marathon, and they have both completed multiple full Ironman races, including the Ironman World Championship.

In December, the brothers ran in the Last One Standing Ultra, a 160-km marathon in St. George, Utah, where Charlie finished third and Rob placed ninth. When this challenge is complete, they will look toward April, when Rob will run in the London Marathon and Charlie will do the Boston Marathon for a second time.

“When I did my first marathon, I thought that was hard, and it was. And then I did my first Ironman and said I’ll never ever do that again because that was too hard,” said Charlie, 45.

“I think every time you do one of these things, you’re more prepared for the next one.”

Their recovery after each race will be imperative to their success. Rob has packed compression boots to maximize blood flow after they stretch, and a constant emphasis on nutrition, water and sleep will be the recipe they follow.

The Tétraults have maintained the status quo in their training while incorporating minor changes to prepare for the different conditions they will encounter. For example, Charlie wore numerous layers while running at the gym to simulate running in the heat and made sure to get out on the coldest days to get a feel for what it will be like in Antarctica.

“We’ve been training for three years to do personal bests for marathons and ironman and 100-milers, so it’s not anything more except actually just taking a bit of rest so that we’re rested up to start (the next one),” said Charlie.

Ask the brothers why they are embarking on this worldwide journey and they will provide an answer with plenty of layers. It ultimately stems from a promise Rob and his wife made 16 years ago when their son Alexandre was born.

Alexandre was diagnosed with congenital cytomegalovirus (CMV), a viral infection that can cause hearing loss and visual impairments, and is the leading cause of birth defects and developmental disabilities in infants.

“When that happened to my son, my wife and I made a promise in the hospital— we said we would make a difference,” Rob said.

The couple started with smaller fundraisers but quickly expanded their reach, holding an annual ball hockey tournament that ran for a decade and raised one million dollars for CMV Canada.

In 2022, Rob started Run with Rob, a campaign that raises funds and awareness for the Canadian CMV Foundation by running across different provinces. So far, he’s completed Manitoba (506 km in 12 days) — where he was a proponent for getting universal screening for infants passed — and New Brunswick (548 km in 13 days). This year, he will run across Prince Edward Island.

“When that happened to my son, my wife and I made a promise in the hospital – we said we would make a difference”–Rob Tétrault

“Provinces need to make changes in how babies are being tested at birth,” he said. “We’re seeing a ton of progress, it’s so rewarding to see progress, so this is kind of my baby and Charlie is there to support me.”

Rob will draw on his experience running long distances across multiple days over the next week. He will also compete against, push and lean on Charlie, who feels equally fortunate to test his mental and physical wits with his brother.

“I think it’s pretty cool, pretty special, pretty lucky because it lines up,” Rob said. “We’re both incredibly passionate about this… our relationship now revolves around running, so we’re going to be able to do nothing but that for a week.”

joshua.frey-sam@freepress.mb.ca

X: @jfreysam