If you’ve been in Wānaka in the past month there is a good chance you’ve seen Victoria Taylor running the streets.

Victoria is on a mission to raise awareness and funds for two charities by breaking the world record for the most consecutive days to run a marathon (female). 

Today (Friday April 14) will be her thirty-third consecutive day running the 42-kilometre distance.

“I’m doing it to raise awareness and funds for the Mental Health Foundation of New Zealand and also the Red Cross to help out the New Zealand Disaster Fund,” Victoria said.

“Givealittle have combined the two causes and will split the money 50:50.”

The record for consecutive day marathons (female) is 151 and Victoria has set herself a target of 153.

“Because I’m breaking a record it’s good to go a couple of days over,” she said.

If Victoria completes the challenge she will finish on Sunday August 13, the day of her thirtieth birthday.

“I set out with a goal to finish on my thirtieth,” Victoria said. “I wanted to do something for my birthday that had meaning.”

Victoria said she runs a similar course each day consisting of three 14-kilometre loops around Wānaka which are tracked on GPS for authentication. She said she also has to video the start, middle and finish and get witness statements each day as a requirement for the Guinness Book of Records.

Victoria said she has no special dietary requirements but a Red Bull at the 25-kilometre mark and toasted bagels with marmite keep her going.

“I get a massage every week for recovery,” she said. 

“I’m getting as much sleep as possible. I’m eating and hydrating well.”

Victoria said the biggest challenge is staying healthy and the possibility of running in the snow during winter.

“I’ll just have to run in it,” she said. 

“It’s obviously going to be a bigger challenge. The pram situation may make it very challenging.”

In 2022 Victoria attempted to break the world record (20 days and 17 hours) for the time it takes to run the length of New Zealand while raising awareness for mental health. She had to abandon that challenge due to a family matter.

When Victoria was 19-years-old she ran the length of New Zealand in 34 days to support services for child cancer.

Donations of support can be made on her Givealittle page.

PHOTO: Wānaka App