Kirk Zafirovski

I turn 40 in March 2027, so I figured there was no better way to kick off the year than by taking on the World Marathon Challenge.

I've moved around quite a bit throughout my life—living in Chicago (three different times), Minneapolis, Brussels, Raleigh, London, Cleveland, Lewisburg (PA), Toronto, Durham (NC), and now just outside Boston — but one constant has always been sports. Growing up, I competed in soccer, basketball, and track, while also playing golf and just about every other sport that involved competition.

My endurance journey didn't begin until 2021, when I ran the New York City Marathon. Since then, I've completed eight more marathons, and if all goes according to plan in Berlin this fall, I'll have finished all six Abbott World Marathon Majors.

I've always been goal-oriented, and running has been no exception. After the New York City Marathon in 2021, I set my sights on qualifying for Boston, and in 2023 I achieved that goal by running a 3:03:23 at the Tobacco Road Marathon. Since then, training hasn't always gone as planned. I've battled a right hamstring injury, a stubborn hip flexor, two bouts of pneumonia just weeks before Tokyo, a rolled ankle after a car veered onto the sidewalk before Chicago 2024, and a few other setbacks along the way. Even so, I'm hoping to set a new personal best in Berlin this fall.

If you had told me back in 2020 that I'd be attempting the World Marathon Challenge, I probably would have asked, "What's that?" followed immediately by, "Absolutely not." Six years later, after learning more about the event and watching people I admire tackle challenges that seemed impossible, I couldn't be more excited to take my shot.

I'll always enjoy chasing fast marathon times, but this challenge is different. My biggest goal is to respect the race, survive Antarctica, manage my recovery wisely, and make it through all seven marathons with consistent performances.

Away from running, I've been married for over eight years and am incredibly fortunate to have three amazing kids — a 7-year-old daughter, a 5-year-old daughter, and a 2-year-old son. We love life just outside Boston, and I know their support helps make this journey even more meaningful.

It's hard to believe we're only about seven months away from the start. I'm looking forward to meeting everyone in this incredible community and sharing the experience together.