Adelaide runner Asa Cowell plans 50 marathons in 50 days to mark his 50th birthday

He admits it’s a “mad” idea, but here’s how an Adelaide man plans to run 50 marathons in 50 consecutive days - to mark a milestone birthday.

Athlete Asa Cowell at the starting point of his quest to run 50 marathons in 50 days. Picture: Ben Clark

Many people throw a party for their 50th birthday. Others go on a holiday with friends or family. Some might buy themselves a flash new toy.

But there’s not many who decide to mark the occasion by running 50 marathons. In 50 consecutive days. To raise $50,000 for charity.

Still, that’s how Adelaide runner Asa Cowell plans to bring up his half century. Oh, and on most days of his epic quest, he’ll start running around 4am so he still can be at work by 9am.

It’s the sort of challenge previously attempted by an elite few, mostly aged in their 20s, and Mr Cowell is acutely aware of the daunting task ahead.

“I’ve never attempted something like this before,” he said. “I’m in the best shape I hope I can be, but after 20 days of marathon running, who knows.

“But I give myself a fair crack (of finishing the 50 in 50 goal). I’ve done the work. And If you want to meet someone who is mentally selfish, dogged and has sheer determination, then that’s me.”

Athlete Asa Cowell at the starting point of his quest to run 50 marathons in 50 days. Picture: Ben Clark

Mr Cowell, a veteran of about 40 marathons or ultra-marathons, said the key to success would be pacing himself and treating the 50 days as if it were one ultra-marathon.

“I want to get through to about two thirds of the way in good condition, and the way I plan on doing that is through just running easy,” he said.

“Apart from the time stress on the body, I don’t want to have excess muscular stress from overstraining by pace, from trying to make a time.”

The single father of two teenagers has clocked nearly 3000km in training this year, despite missing a couple of months through injury. He said he originally planned to run long ultra-marathon, somewhere in the range of 200km to 300km, to mark his 50th on January 9 but soon realised there were no such runs planned because his birthday fell in the peak of summer.

“And then in February or March, I was just thinking that, for my 50th, I just wanted to do something that’s a bit mad,” he said.

“It was just through a Google search that I actually came across the concept of it, and I thought oh, hang on, 50 marathons in 50 days, turning 50... that’s got a certain ringtone to it.”

He then added another 50 into the concept – raising $50,000 for Catherine House, the SA organisation that provides crisis accommodation for women, many of whom are victims from domestic violence.

Inspiration for the Catherine House donation came from a running mate who grew up surrounded by family violence and was physically, verbally, socially and psychologically abused by her stepfather.

The woman is now a mother, grandmother and keen runner who hopes to join Mr Cowell for eight to 10 of his marathons.

Most of the 50 marathons will be in Adelaide but Mr Cowell will also head to Ballarat and Melbourne for four days in mid-December. The chief executive of Holdfast Assets is also inviting other runners to join him for any sections of his marathons on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays. He started his monumental challenge at Seacliff on Saturday.

People can visit Asa Cowell’s 50in50 Facebook page for details and locations of each of Mr Cowell’s marathons and to donate to Catherine House and help him reach the $50,000 target.