When most people think of a marathon, they picture scenic routes through city streets, rolling hills, or coastal paths. But for Braden Roggow, a 31-year-old sales director from Colorado Springs, his latest marathon took place in a setting as unconventional as it gets—a McDonald’s parking lot. Dubbed the "McMarathon," Roggow's 26.2-mile run wasn't about making a statement on health or the fast-food industry; it was simply a challenge that was equal parts quirky and personal.
The idea for the McMarathon struck Roggow during one of his regular runs, and like any true marathoner, once the thought took hold, he couldn’t shake it. "I’m an all-or-nothing type of person," Roggow explained. "When I get an idea for something, I kind of just have to do it."
Roggow isn’t just any runner—he’s the type who finds comfort in pushing boundaries, whether that means tackling traditional marathons or dreaming up new, offbeat challenges. The McMarathon was born from this drive, fueled by his genuine love for McDonald’s food and a curiosity to see if he could complete the marathon distance by repeatedly circling a 740-foot loop in the parking lot.
Roggow's plan was simple yet meticulous. To cover the 26.2-mile marathon distance, he would need to complete 187 laps of the McDonald's parking lot. He divided the marathon into manageable chunks, with each leg consisting of 47 laps. After every segment, he’d switch directions to avoid the monotony and physical strain of running in circles. And because this was a McMarathon, Roggow added another rule: he had to order and consume at least one item from the McDonald's menu during the race.
Roggow embraced the McMarathon's unique requirements with enthusiasm. Over the course of his run, he downed three hash browns, a medium iced coffee, a cup of Powerade, a medium hot coffee, and a sausage and egg McMuffin. "You get the carbs. It’s salty. It’s delicious," Roggow said of his unconventional race-day fuel. "I see McDonald’s as the perfect running food—that’s just me, though."
Despite the repetitive nature of the course, Roggow maintained a remarkably steady pace, completing the marathon in an impressive 3:07—excluding stoppage time for bathroom breaks and food. His pace hovered around seven minutes per mile, a testament to his focus and physical conditioning.
"I never got bored," Roggow shared. "Running is my form of meditation. It’s my time to zone out and think about nothing and everything all at the same time."
The McMarathon wasn’t just a test of physical endurance but also a demonstration of Roggow’s creative spirit and his willingness to embrace the absurd. In a world where marathons are often serious, goal-oriented events, the McMarathon was a refreshing reminder that sometimes, the best challenges are the ones that make you smile—even if they involve running circles around a fast-food joint.
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