Andrew Murray (born c. 1980) is a Scottish doctor, runner and author who works for the Scottish government promoting physical activity for health. He became widely known in January 2011 when he completed a 2659-mile run from John o' Groats in far north Scotland to Merzouga, in the Moroccan Sahara desert running an average of over 34 miles for 78 consecutive days. [1] [2]
Murray was born in Aberdeen, Scotland. [3] He studied at the University of Aberdeen, graduating with a medical degree. [4] He is a general practitioner and additionally works as a Sports and Exercise Medicine doctor for the European Tour Golf, the Scottish Rugby Union, and Heart of Midlothian FC. His professional interests include sports medicine and physical activity for health. Murray was appointed as the Scottish Government's Physical Activity Champion in February 2012 to work for Scotland's Chief Medical Officer, and stated that "Becoming, or staying active, is the single best thing you can do for your health," [5] In March 2012 he re-launched the Scottish Government's "Take Life On" campaign with Sports Minister Shona Robison. [6]
On 9 April 2012 he placed first overall in the North Pole Marathon despite having broken his wrist 10 days prior. [7]
In November 2012 he ran 7 ultramarathons on 7 continents within 7 days to promote the value of exercise for health. He completed 31-mile courses in Antarctica, Patagonia, Atlanta, London, Egypt, Dubai and Australia, where he finished on the Harbour Bridge in Sydney. [8]
On 19 July 2014, together with Donnie Campbell, he ran to the top of Britain's 10 highest peaks in a single day. [9] They completed their trip in 13 hours and 10 minutes, running for a total 9 hours and 10 minutes, with the remainder spent travelling by car between the mountain ranges. [3]
In 2015, Murray and Campbell completed a crossing of the Namib desert. It took the men nine days to complete a 504km route from Lüderitz to Walvis Bay, running more than 50km every day on heavy sand. [10]
In February 2016, he won the first Genghis Khan Ice Marathon in Outer Mongolia. [11] [12]
Additionally, Murray has won numerous endurance races which include The Sahara Race (Egypt) (2007), The Gobi Challenge (2009, 2012), the 6633 Ultra (2009), the Indo Ultra (2010), and the Scottish Ultra (2009).
He is the author of "Running Beyond Limits" (published by Mountain Media) which is an anecdotal account of his run from Scotland to the Sahara. [13]
The marathon is a long-distance foot race with a distance of 42.195 km, usually run as a road race, but the distance can be covered on trail routes. The marathon can be completed by running or with a run/walk strategy. There are also wheelchair divisions. More than 800 marathons are held throughout the world each year, with the vast majority of competitors being recreational athletes, as larger marathons can have tens of thousands of participants.
Long-distance running, or endurance running, is a form of continuous running over distances of at least 3 km (1.9 mi). Physiologically, it is largely aerobic in nature and requires stamina as well as mental strength.
Jogging is a form of trotting or running at a slow or leisurely pace. The main intention is to increase physical fitness with less stress on the body than from faster running but more than walking, or to maintain a steady speed for longer periods of time. Performed over long distances, it is a form of aerobic endurance training.
An ultramarathon, also called ultra distance or ultra running, is any footrace longer than the traditional marathon length of 42.195 kilometres. Various distances are raced competitively, from the shortest common ultramarathon of 31 miles (50 km) to over 200 miles (320 km). 50k and 100k are both World Athletics record distances, but some 100 miles (160 km) races are among the oldest and most prestigious events, especially in North America.
Sophie Jane Raworth is an English journalist, newsreader and broadcaster working for the BBC. She is a senior newsreader and is one of the main presenters of BBC News. She has been a television presenter for state occasions and has also presented the BBC's Election Night coverage, alongside other presenters.
Dean Karnazes, is an American ultramarathon runner, and author of Ultramarathon Man: Confessions of an All-Night Runner, which details ultra endurance running for the general public.
Marathon des Sables, or MdS, is a six-day, about 250 km (160 mi) ultramarathon, which is approximately the distance of six regular marathons. The longest single stage (2009) was 91 km (57 mi) long.
Long slow distance (LSD) is a form of aerobic endurance training used in sports including running, rowing, skiing and cycling. It is also known as aerobic endurance training, base training and Zone 2 training. Physiological adaptations to LSD training include improved cardiovascular function, improved thermoregulatory function, improved mitochondrial energy production, increased oxidative capacity of skeletal muscle, and increased utilization of fat for fuel. Ernst van Aaken, a German physician and coach, is generally recognized as the founder of the LSD method of endurance training.
Raymond Zahab, is a Canadian long-distance runner and public speaker. He has run in long-distance running adventures in several countries, including the South Pole, Siberia, and the Atacama Desert in Chile. He crossed the Sahara with Charlie Engle, (USA) and Kevin Lin (Taiwan).
William Morley Sichel is a British long-distance runner.
Richard Donovan is an Irish runner, commercial race organizer, and sports administrator. Donovan organised and was first to complete the inaugural South Pole Marathon in January 2002, then completed the first marathon-length run in the North Pole in April of that year. He used the publicity from this to launch his North Pole Marathon venture, offering runners an adventure tourism experience, with the 2018 event costing €16,000.
Freya Ross is a Scottish long-distance runner who competed in the Marathon at the London 2012 Olympics. She mainly competed in road races, but was also successful on the track competing in 5000 metres and 10,000 metres, as well as cross country running. Ross represented Scotland in the 5,000 metres and 10,000 metres in the 2010 Commonwealth Games. in Delhi in October 2010. Some of her best road racing results were from 2009 and 2010 when she won the Great Ireland Run in 2010 and the Great Yorkshire Run in both 2009 and 2010 setting the course record in 2009. In February 2012, Freya won the Scottish Athletics National Cross Country for the sixth time in seven years.
Ryan Nicholas Sandes "Hedgie" is a South African trail runner. In 2010 he became the first competitor to have won all four of the 4 Deserts races.
Born Vassos Alexander Georgiadis is a British sports reporter, presenter, author and endurance runner. He is currently the sports presenter of The Chris Evans Breakfast Show on Virgin Radio. Alexander hosts the Parkrun podcast, he is a motivational speaker and serves as an ambassador for the young person's charity SkillForce.
Micah True, born Michael Randall Hickman and also known as Caballo Blanco, was an American ultrarunner from Boulder, Colorado, who received attention because of his depiction as a central character in Christopher McDougall's book Born to Run. True's inclusion in the book garnered him some attention in ultrarunning circles, and some readers credited him as their inspiration for taking up the sport.
Jacquelyn Camille Herron is an American ultramarathon runner. She is the first and only athlete to win all three of the road IAU World Championships for 50K, 100K, and 24 Hours. As of June 2023, she held a number of world records on the track and road, including 50 miles (road), 100 miles, 24-hr run, and 48-hr run (track).
Rik Vercoe is a British ultramarathon runner from Walton on Thames, Surrey, England. In 2013 he set the British record for most marathons completed in 365 days, having run 152 races at marathon distance and above.
Samantha Gash is an Australian professional endurance athlete, social entrepreneur, motivational speaker. As an endurance athlete, Gash focuses on long distance expedition runs and adventure races. She is an ambassador to numerous organizations and events including World Vision, Lululemon Athletica, Run Melbourne and Travel Play Live.
Fiona Oakes is a British distance runner who holds four world records for marathon running. In 2013, she won both the Antarctic Ice Marathon and the North Pole Marathon. She runs despite losing a kneecap due to a tumour when she was 17. Oakes has been vegan since she was 6 years old. As far as Fiona is aware, she was the first vegan woman to complete the Marathon des Sables. She runs Tower Hill Stables Animal Sanctuary, is an ambassador for The Vegan Society, and is a patron of the Captive Animals Protection Society.
The official Seven Continents Club (SCC) was founded in 1995 when Marathon Tours & Travel created the inaugural Antarctica Marathon & Half-Marathon and made it possible for runners to conquer a marathon or half-marathon on seven continents. With more than 8,100 members from 87 countries, the SCC continues to service clients interested in pursuing their seven continents goal.