Paris: A 30-year-old Frenchman is running 100 marathons in as many days to raise awareness of the carbon footprint left by major sporting events.
“I do to my body what we do to the planet,” Nicolas Vandenelsken, who calls himself an “eco-adventurer”, told AFP as he reached Paris on his 84th marathon, having crossed 10 regions since September 3.
His itinerary of 42.2-kilometre (26.2-mile) marathons is to resemble a heart when seen on a map of France. Vandenelsken -- an activist in two associations dedicated to climate awareness in sport -- has met children, associations and farmers along the way. In Paris, he had a meeting with French Sports Minister Amelie Oudea-Castera, saying he told her, “Sport is an incredible lever to reach a maximum number of people.”.