A Wisconsin doctor is preparing for the feat of a lifetime to raise awareness about the most widespread form of cancer young men.
Dr. T. Clark Gamblin, a surgeon in Milwaukee, spoke with Fox News Digital about his upcoming participation in the World Marathon Challenge. The race involves running seven marathons on seven continents – seven days in a row.
The first marathon will take place in Antarctica on January 31, 2025. From there, Gamblin and other participants will travel to Cape Town, South Africa; Perth, Australia; and Dubai, UAE.
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From there, Gamblin will fly to Madrid, Spain, and Fortaleza, Brazil, before completing a final race in Miami. He and his fellow marathoners will have completed 200 miles over the course of a week.
Dr. T. Clark Gamblin, a cancer surgeon who has battled testicular cancer, is participating in the World Marathon Challenge, which involves running seven marathons on seven continents – seven days in a row. (Jan Gamblin, Ph.D.)
The fast-paced nature of the competition means it won’t exactly be a relaxing holiday for the participants.
“Over the course of the seven days, we will spend approximately 60 hours on the plane,” Gamblin said. “So it spins, and it’s a plane, and it spins, and then it’s a plane.”
“If you’re prepared and train correctly, it’s not a huge feat.”
Although it may seem physically impossible for a human to run seven marathons in seven consecutive days, the World Marathon Challenge has taken runners around the world for nearly a decade. Gamblin started training for the race a year ago.
“It’s a physical challenge, there’s no doubt about that, but there are much more physically demanding things that people have done,” he said. “If you’re prepared and train correctly, it’s not a huge feat.”
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Gamblin has a whole team behind him. The organization of the World Marathon Challenge takes care of the logistics of the flights and hotels for all participants. Gamblin, a cancer surgeon, also pitched in help from a dietician at his hospital to help him meet his protein and fluid goals.
He also has a physical trainer to help with injury prevention — but the person who has helped Gamblin the most, he said, is his wife.
Dr. T. Clark Gamblin spoke with Fox News Digital about his participation in the World Marathon Challenge. (Fox News Digital / Jan Gamblin, Ph.D.)
“She is my No. 1 cheerleader,” Gamblin said. “She’s not a big runner, but she plays a big role in helping me prepare for this and prepare for it.”
“But then right behind her would be my running coach, a dietitian and a physiotherapist. So it takes a team to prepare for something like this.”
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Gamblin, who specializes in liver and bile duct cancer, became interested in running marathons as a medical student. During the World Marathon Challenge he runs for the Testicular Cancer Awareness Foundation.
The cause is close to his heart, as Gamblin himself is a cancer survivor – he was diagnosed with it testicular cancer in 2018 after noticing a lump.
Gamblin worked with a dietician and a physical trainer to prepare for the seven-day marathon challenge. (Jan Gamblin, Ph.D.)
“I thought it was probably nothing, but I was very diligent about it and checked it very quickly and found out it was testicular cancer,” he explained. “And testicular cancer is the No. 1 cancer that affects men between the ages of 15 and 45.”
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According to the Testicular Cancer Awareness Foundation, one in 250 men will develop testicular cancer during their lifetime.
“I went from being a cancer surgeon and giving all this advice to having to take the advice I had given and apply it to my own life,” Gamblin noted.
“The most intriguing is the Antarctica race… it will be such a unique environment and climate to run in.”
After undergo chemotherapy and two surgeries, he has now been cancer free for four years.
Gamblin’s desire to spread awareness has fueled the long and arduous training he went through to prepare for the 168-hour feat.
Despite the challenges, he said he is looking forward to the simple pleasures of the race, like getting to know his fellow runners.
Gamblin will run a marathon on every continent, including Antarctica, starting in January. (Jan Gamblin, Ph.D.)
“It will also be such a unique group of people,” he said. “I am willing to make lifelong friendships and hear the stories of others.”
Gamblin documents his marathon journey via his Instagram account @tclarkgamblin. He is most excited about running through Antarctica.
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“So few people have run marathons there,” he said. “It will be such a unique environment and climate to run in.”
In Miami, Gamblin will see his family at the finish line.
Gamblin said he hopes his story encourages others to reach their potential. (Jan Gamblin, PhD)
“I think all too often we don’t set our goals high enough in life,” the doctor said. “We’re not taking enough risks…This is a risk, it’s a reach for me.”
The doctor said he wants to inspire other people to also aim higher than they normally would.
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“Your body will do what the mind tells it to do in many cases,” Gamblin added.
“And so I think we can challenge ourselves and push ourselves way beyond the limits that we set.”
