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Books & Looks Podcast — A Marathon a Day: The Fastest Woman to Run Around the World

Contributor: BookTribAugust 21, 20254 min read

Books & Looks: Real Books for Real Readers was started as a literary podcast to supplement Blaine Desantis’ website, ViewsOnBooks.com, and expand into audio and video interviews with authors.

With Books & Looks, Blaine’s goal is to focus on real books that real people will read. At least half of the books he reviews are either new authors or unknown authors that many in the general public are unaware of. After a segment reviewing books or interviewing authors, Blaine ends each episode with a discussion of the movies and TV shows he is currently watching.

Learn more about BookTrib’s partner and Blaine at ViewsOnBooks.com.

This Week’s Episode

What if you could transform your life from a pack-a-day smoker who gets winded after 500 meters to a world-record athlete? In this episode, we talk to Marie Leautey, the fastest woman to run around the world, who did exactly that. She reveals the incredible story of how an ordinary financial director with no athletic background ran the equivalent of a marathon every single day for 825 days, covering 28,249 kilometers across four continents. How is it possible to endure such a feat without a single running injury, especially when facing a global pandemic, financial strain, and unbelievable logistical challenges?
 
Marie Leautey shares the unfiltered story behind her book, Lootie’s World Run. We explore the official World Runners Association rules that guided her journey, including the requirement to cross a minimum of four continents and pass through two antipodal points. A huge part of her success was figuring out how to avoid running injuries, a problem that sidelines up to 70% of typical marathon trainees. Marie explains her unique “body scan” technique, a mental checklist she performed daily to listen to her body’s signals, rejecting the “no pain, no gain” mentality. This strategy was crucial for running a marathon every day without issue.
 
The conversation takes a dramatic turn as Marie recounts the moment her journey was halted by the global pandemic. We learn about her experience running during COVID lockdown, where she was forced to pause in Italy, only to find a creative and meaningful way to continue her training: by delivering meals to the homeless on the streets of Paris while pushing her 30kg stroller. Marie also shares unbelievable stories from the road – from a stroller company that rejected her sponsorship request with a legal letter, to a heartbreaking encounter with a grieving mother in North Dakota, a bizarre run-in with a drunken raccoon in Pennsylvania, and a costly mistake involving an onion that led to a $2,600 fine in Australia. This is a profound story about resilience, minimalism, and discovering that the journey, not the destination, is the ultimate reward.

About Our Guest

Marie Leautey is the author of Lootie’s World Run and the world-record holder as the fastest woman to have run around the world. In a remarkable transformation, she went from being a chain-smoking financial director to an elite endurance athlete, completing her global circumnavigation on foot in 825 days. Her story is a powerful testament to human potential and the power of redefining one’s limits.

Listen to the latest episode of Books & Looks:

 

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BookTrib

BookTrib.com was created as a news source for people who love books, want to find out what’s happening in the book world and love learning about great authors of whom they may not have heard. The site features in-depth interviews, reviews, video discussions, podcasts, even authors writing about other authors. BookTrib.com is a haven for anyone searching for his or her next read or simply addicted to all things book-related. BookTrib.com is produced by Meryl Moss Media, a 25-year-old literary marketing, publicity and social media firm. Visit www.merylmossmedia.com to learn more.

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