American doctor, cancer survivor runs 7 marathons on 7 continents in 7 days

A Wisconsin doctor achieved a once-in-a-lifetime feat this month when he participated in seven marathons on seven different continents – seven days in a row, he shared with Fox News Digital.

Dr. T. Clark Gamblin, a surgeon at Froedtert and the Medical College of Wisconsin, is a testicular cancer survivor who ran in the World Marathon Challenge from Jan. 31 to Feb. 6. 

Gamblin represented the Testicular Cancer Awareness Foundation, an organization dedicated to raising awareness about the most pervasive cancer impacting young men.

DOCTOR AND CANCER SURVIVOR GEARS UP TO RUN 7 MARATHONS ON 7 CONTINENTS IN 7 DAYS

Gamblin, who survived testicular cancer in 2018, spent months of intensive training preparing for the extraordinary challenge. The race began in Antarctica and then moved to Cape Town, South Africa; Perth, Australia; and Dubai, UAE. 

The competitors then traveled to Madrid, Spain, and Fortaleza, Brazil, before running across the finish line in Miami. Each place was unique, Gamblin said – but running in Antarctica was an "otherworldly experience."

"Antarctica is the most unique place I know in the world," he recalled. "We went to the interior of Antarctica to run. Very few people are there. It felt like running on the moon."

Throughout all his travels, Gamblin said his favorite location was Miami, where his family and some of his patients cheered him on.

"That was super special for me," he said. "And because it's not a sanctioned marathon [with] no limits, they could get out and run with me or spend time with me on the course."

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Gamblin documented his marathon journey through his Instagram account, @tclarkgamblin. He raised $125,000 for his cause and hopes to raise another $125,000 after the race.

During all the time he spent running, Gamblin said he thought about his own medical journey, feeling grateful that he was healthy enough to run. 

"I was very fortunate that I diagnosed myself very early, had surgery, and I really thought that would be curative, [then] had a short recurrence a couple of years later," he told Fox News Digital. "The last four years, I've been disease-free, so I'm very grateful."

"I would say I reflected with gratitude as I ran for my own health, my own personal health, and all the things I'm able to do."

Despite the strenuous training process, Gamblin suffered a back injury during the sixth marathon. As a result, he had to run two half-marathons in Brazil and Miami, but said he didn't feel discouraged by the setback.

"There were definitely some challenges physically in my lower back, but there was never one second that I thought, ‘Why are you doing this? What are you thinking?'"

Gamblin also drew strength from his fellow runners, all of whom supported their own causes during the World Marathon Challenge.

"I ran most of the time by myself, but when you would cross people … you'd be yelling their names, encouraging them," he said.

"The people in the front were encouraging the people in the back, and the people in the back were encouraging the people in the front. It was really pretty special."

The Testicular Cancer Awareness Foundation doesn't just help raise awareness for testicular cancer, but also helps give financial resources to families affected by cancer, according to Gamblin.

"The foundation uses funds to bridge families to help them meet their needs, to get them across the country, if need be, to the centers of excellence," he said. "Not only do they do early detection and raise awareness, but they really help families in their time of need."

With the marathons now behind him, Gamblin's life has slowly returned to normal – beginning with much-deserved treats in the Sunshine State after many weeks of diligent training.

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"I ate really well in Miami and celebrated with my family," he said. "I've just rested and tried to let my back just kind of sort out and recover. But I worked all day yesterday and today at the hospital, and it hasn't been an issue at all."

Gamblin plans to take 10 to 12 days off from running before easing back into it.

Throughout the entire experience, in addition to raising awareness and funds for testicular cancer, Gamblin said he hoped to inspire people to "stick it out there, risk something, go for it."

"I think far too often, we are capable of much more than we attempt," he said. "And we're very careful, we're very risk-averse … because we're just so afraid that we might fail. And I don't ever want to be that person."

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