PARIS NORRIS & JAMES ELLIOT ON 777, STRIDES FOR GOOD, AND UNDERSTANDING YOUR "WHY"
Paris Norris and James Elliot spoke to Communicate as they are working on a campaign called Strides for Good where both of them ran 7 marathons in 7 consecutive days across 7 continents in the World Marathon Challenge which took place from 28th January - 6th February 2025. And they are the first ones to complete it in UAE.
Can you walk us through the details of the initiative, results, and how did you mentally prepare for it?
777 is an annual event that sees competitors test their endurance grit and determination by running 7 Marathons, in 7 consecutive days over all 7 continents. We decided to tackle this challenge to raise both awareness but more importantly vital funds for the Sovereign Art Foundation that support underprivileged children through Art Therapy. They offer a safe space for children to recover from being trafficked, orphaned, violence in the home and/or mental disadvantages such as autism. The charity seen first hand transforms kids lives.
With this in mind we achieved what we set out to do and became the first individuals in UAE to complete this challenge in not only 7 days but actually under 6 days! Previously the record for UAE residents was 10 days set in 2015.
We prepared for this challenge as well as possible. We partnered with The Brain & Performance Centre that helped us both prepare physically and also mentally. With their skillsets we entered the race as prepared as you can be. We understood our why and what we were trying to achieve. We prepared our controllables to avoid unnecessary decision making and executed as close to our plan as possible. Their were a few curve balls as to be expected along the journey but we managed to get through them with perseverance and humour!
Recovery plays a crucial role in endurance events—what specific recovery strategies did you use to stay strong throughout the challenge?
Recovery has many aspects to it. Short term, long term.
The short term was based on organisation and understanding timings. Our only real down time was when we were on a plane! Its never felt so good to be on a plane!
We split up the hours between runs – and made sure we had our food at the correct times which is vital to being able to run a marathon. We slept for as much as possible on the plane journeys however in some routes this was not easy! Using massage guns, a lot of Physio KT tape, ice and recovery gels/oils we prepared our body’s for the next run!
We were very fortunate to have The Brain & Performance Centre, A DP World Company help us in Dubai. Not only were the physiotherapists at the run prior, they helped us both during the race (like a Formula 1 pit stop on the course) they also prepared to the minute a recovery session in the Hyperbaric suites with extra recovery deep tissue massage that for certain allowed us both to complete the next set of marathons. Our gratitude to the team at The Brain & Performance Centre is almost uncomprehendable. They are as much a part of this achievement as us.
Did you face any unexpected physical or mental setbacks during the challenge? How did you overcome them?
In short yes. James came into the challenge with an existing injury and whilst able to complete the first marathon in Antarctica in decent time. The lack of sleep, a plane journey on an old cargo plane that was not only extremely hot, uncomfortable and noisy meant that we were running back to back marathons within 9 hours. This led to Jame’s existing injury flaring up immediately. Through excruciating pain he had to revert to crutches which enabled him to finish. This showed both determination but also perseverance and thinking outside the box in the heat of battle to show there is always a way to accomplish things, even if it is not the roadmap envisioned, when you put your mind to something and have the true desire nothing will stop you!
Again The Brain & Performance Team should be commended here as they facilitated the crutches in an instant which James is forever grateful for.
Can you tell us more about the role the Brain & Perfoemance Centre played in all of this?
The Brain & Performance Centre, a DP World company, played an instrumental role in our journey, ensuring that we were physically and mentally equipped to complete seven marathons across seven continents in under six days. Their support extended beyond conventional training; they provided a cutting-edge, science-backed approach to optimising endurance, resilience, and recovery.
Prior to the event, their expertise in cognitive conditioning and physical preparation enabled us to enhance our focus, manage stress, and build the mental fortitude required for such an extreme endurance test. Through advanced performance protocols—including Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy (HBOT), neuromuscular rehabilitation, and tailored recovery strategies—we entered the race with a distinct physiological and psychological advantage.
The Brain & Performance Centre’s impact was even more profound during the challenge. Their team operated like an elite performance unit, offering invaluable real-time guidance and on-the-ground support. Whether it was facilitating rapid recovery between races—akin to an F1 pit stop—or providing immediate intervention for injury management, their presence ensured we could sustain peak performance despite the gruelling conditions.
When unexpected setbacks arose, including injuries and extreme fatigue, their expertise in sports science and recovery protocols played a pivotal role in keeping us in the race.
In 2017 when climber Maxime Chaya tacked the Everest, he said “there is an Everest for everyone”, ” Do you believe completing seven marathons in seven days is achievable for anyone with the right mindset and training? Why or why not?
There certainly is an Everest in everyone however, using this analogy, I think there is a whole mountain range of peaks in everybody. The key is to understand that with every peak you aim for some are higher than others, you need to prepare and give your 100% (whatever that is) for each. Take this into your daily life and anything and everything is possible.
My takeaway from this challenge is:
Vision – imagine and set your goal
Prepare – as well as you can so you can execute
Understand your WHY
Execute – the prep is completed, you can now only control your controllables, its time to get doing. Whatever happens be prepared to roll with the punches and never give up.
Whilst anyone can achieve anything they want, you need to have your WHY clear, believe in yourself, execute correctly and get your mindset bulletproof. This is also down to surrounding yourself with the right support group. Again this can be taken into all your walks of life. Surround yourself with the right mindsets and anything is achievable.
Now to understand that every peak there is a trough and by understanding that no moments are forever both good times, bad times, tough times and glory times are all just a moment of time. So whilst setting a large goal is commendable you need to keep setting goals and this way you will grow, learn, achieve and if done correctly will be able to inspire others, and give back to humanity. We all have so much potential, most just need to unleash their inner restraints
This journey has taught me that whatever is thrown at us we can get through it and achieve our goals no matter the size or how tough something feels in the moment. Take the next step and keep moving forward.
There is a famous quote, when you cant see the woods from the trees what should you do? Concentrate on the next step, and you will find your way through. Meaning don’t be overawed by the goal, bitesize it and take it one step at a time.
