'I'm Running For The Children': NJ Man Runs 7 Marathons On 7 Continents In 7 Days

HAZLET, NJ — Anthony Simonetti doesn’t consider himself to be much of a runner.

Currently a resident of Hazlet, the 32-year-old grew up playing sports on Staten Island, though the sports in question ran closer to baseball than anything running-related, like track or cross country.

Despite not being a competitive runner, Simonetti has participated in his fair share of marathons in recent years.

In 2019, he ran the Boston Marathon on behalf of St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital, then went on to run other world majors for them (ie, Sydney, London, Berlin, Chicago, New York and Tokyo) as well.

It was in 2026, however, that Simonetti faced a new challenge — running the World Marathon Challenge, where participants run a full 26.2-mile marathon on each of the seven continents in seven consecutive days.

“It wasn’t easy. I’m not gonna say it was easy,” Simonetti told Patch after completing the challenge, which ran from the end of January through Feb. 6. “But I will say, I was one of the very few people who truly enjoyed every moment.”

Like his previous races, Simonetti participated in the World Marathon Challenge on behalf of St. Jude’s, this time with a fundraising goal of $100,000.

After meeting the other participating runners in Cape Town, South Africa, toward the end of January, Simonetti proceeded to travel with them via plane to Antarctica, where the first race of the challenge began.

After completing the Antarctica race, he and the other runners went back to Cape Town to start the second race. From there, they participated in races in Australia, Asia, Europe and South America before ending the challenge in Miami, FL.

Of the 51 total participants for the 2026 World Marathon Challenge, Simonetti placed 48th, with a speed of 6.27 km/h and a total of 295.4 KM.

Though he didn’t rank as one of the highest in the group of runners, Simonetti said he’s proud of himself for completing all seven marathons (especially considering that he didn't train for the challenge beforehand) and that he’s running for something greater than just himself.

“I’m running for the children,” Simonetti told Patch. “A child at two-years-old could be blindsided with cancer and be on chemo in a hospital. They don’t plan on this. I go through 168 hours of intensity, but I know the end is in sight one way or another. These kids don’t know that. These parents don’t know that.”

By participating in the 2026 World Marathon Challenge, Simonetti is looking to raise $100,000 in funds for St. Jude’s, which treats childhood cancers and pediatric diseases.

As of Wednesday afternoon, Simonetti has raised $71,380, with the donation drive set to close on Feb. 20. To donate, you can click here.

“We had the chance to FaceTime Anthony while he was finishing up his Marathon in Dubai, and we could not be more proud of this Hero,” St. Jude’s said in an online post. “Even with over 100 miles behind him these past four days, he has his passion for the mission at the forefront of his mind.”

“He spoke about the children and how he brings their strength and endurance to mind when he is facing each leg of this incredible challenge,” the post continued. “Reminding us how intertwined with the mission our community is.”

“So thank you, Anthony. We love you, and we thank you for being an example of a true St. Jude Hero.”

Though the World Marathon Challenge is now complete for 2026, the competition will return next year, with registration open for 2027. You can learn more and register here.

Additionally, for those who wish to get involved with endurance events like the World Marathon Challenge to help raise money for St. Jude’s, Simonetti said people can reach out to him on his Instagram @thewildant.