68-year-old runner wins Madagascar Marathon after racing an Age Group World Championship only a week earlier

June 4, 2026

• A 68-year-old American runner who competed at the Abbott World Marathon Majors Marathon Tours & Travel Age Group World Championship in Cape Town just a week earlier has won the 2026 Madagascar Marathon, one of the world’s most remote and unique marathon events.

BOSTON, MA (June 4, 2026) /ENDURANCE SPORTSWIRE/ – Timothy Heitzwebel from the United States crossed the finish line first in the 2026 Madagascar Marathon, completing the Marathon Tours & Travel ‘African Double Challenge’, which sees runners race in both the Sanlam Cape Town Marathon and Madagascar Marathon on consecutive weekends.

Heitzwebel was one of 18 runners who travelled from Cape Town to Madagascar as part of the challenge, with several participants completing back-to-back marathons across two countries and two very different landscapes.

The Cape Town leg of the African Double Challenge was the official AbbottWMM Marathon Tours & Travel Age Group World Championships (AGWC) – an elite global event that brings together the fastest age-group marathon runners in the world, who qualify through the Abbott World Marathon Majors series. Marathon Tours & Travel is the Official Co-Title Sponsor of the AGWC, supporting qualifying athletes and their travel companions with dedicated travel packages, expert logistics and an exclusive championship experience.

Held a week later, on Sunday, 31st May 2026, the Madagascar Marathon welcomed 57 runners from seven countries, including the United States, Canada, Denmark, Japan, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom and Madagascar itself. The event offers participants the rare opportunity to experience one of the world’s most unique and biodiverse destinations on foot, running through landscapes and communities far removed from the traditional marathon circuit, making for the most memorable race experience.

For four runners, the race marked the culmination of a much longer journey. Jan Nielsen, Lisbeth Staxen, Ashley Palk and Daniel Haight all completed their seventh continent in Madagascar, in turn joining the coveted Seven Continents Club® after achieving the feat of running a half marathon or marathon on every continent.

While major city marathons continue to attract tens of thousands of runners, events such as the Madagascar Marathon are increasingly appealing to those seeking adventure and experiences beyond the traditional bucket-list races.

Jeff Adams, President of Marathon Tours & Travel, said: “Madagascar offers runners something completely different. It combines the challenge of a marathon with the opportunity to experience a destination that very few people will ever visit. Seeing runners achieve personal milestones, whether that’s completing their seventh continent or taking on the African Challenge, is what makes this event so special.”

Among those completing the African Challenge were Paul Bultema, Erin Driver, Carole Hoglund, Patricia Mahon, Donald Richardson, Susan Steele, Robbin Jordan, Aaron Braunstein, Troy Tuscher, Masahide Tabuchi, Brannon Smith and Nena Shaheed.

Results: Full results from the 2026 event can be found here.

To find out more about the Madagascar Marathon and African Double Challenge 2027 visit: https://marathontours.com/en-us/events/madagascar-marathon/

And for more information about Marathon Tours & Travel, visit: www.marathontours.com

The team can also be found on Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn.

ENDS

Contact

Name: Kate Allan – Compete PR
Email: kate@competepr.com
Phone: +44 7754 072648

About Marathon Tours & Travel

Founded by runner and travel visionary Thom Gilligan in 1979, Marathon Tours & Travel (MTT) is a longstanding recognized leader and innovator in the destination travel industry for runners and their supporters. With offices in Boston (USA), Manchester (UK),Adelaide (Australia) and Shanghai (China), the team has industry-leading global prominence.

Marathon Tours & Travel are an approved International Tour Operator to many marathons and other running events, including the Abbott World Marathon Majors, which consists of the Tokyo Marathon, Boston Marathon® presented by Bank of America, TCS London Marathon, TCS Sydney Marathon presented by ASICS, BMW BERLIN-MARATHON, Bank of America Chicago Marathon and TCS New York City Marathon.