Twenty-five years ago, Mark Huckenpahler was an out-of-shape Home Depot associate at store #606 in Santa Ana, Calif., dealing with ailments relating to h is health. The 40-year-old had recently lost 70 pounds, and while he felt a significant positive shift in his wellbeing and attitude, he still had pain in his legs. One afternoon, when he ventured out to gather the orange carts in the parking lot, he gave himself a challenge that changed the rest of his life: run and push the shopping cart back to the storefront, a mere 150 feet, without stopping. He didn’t end it there. “I went from hanging on to a shopping cart—and barely making it to the cash register—to finishing my first marathon one year later,” shares Mark. As his training continued, Mark set a lofty goal f or himself: complete a marathon on every continent. Today, Mark is 63 years old and has participated in more than 300 running events and compl eted 48 marath o ns — including one on every continent. He even inspired his father to get in shape and travel with him along the way. We asked Mark to tell us a little bit more about his amazing running experience, and how it changed his life for the better.
Tell us about some of the cities you visited for your continent tour.
The first continent marathon I embarked on was Antarctica—and I was scared. I was among the second group of people to venture there for the run, and we traveled to the location on Russian expedition ships. It was very adventurous—but not luxurious.
I went to Mt. Kilimanjaro, the highest mountain in Africa. In Asia, I ran a race on a tiny island in the Hong Kong vicinity. There were only 12 people who participated in that event. I’ve also done many marathons in North America, including Los Angeles and New York. I’ve been to South America a few times and ran marathons in Peru (Machu Picchu) and Chile (Easter Island).
In Europe, I traveled the route from Marathon to Athens, Greece—in the same footsteps as the legendary Pheidippides. And finally, I ran a millennium race in New Zealand to ring in the year 2000.
What race was the biggest challenge?
The Machu Picchu marathon in Peru. The route ranges in elevation from 9,000 to 17,000 feet, and you run up giant steps along the Inca Trail. It was brutal and took me more than eight hours.
Which marathon was your favorite?
I’d probably say the marathon in Honolulu, Hawaii. Who doesn’t want to go to Hawaii? The scenery is beautiful.
Do you have any special traditions?
I wear my Home Depot apron for most of the events. [It’s now been on every continent.] My goal was to have it be the first apron to visit a location or be in an event.
What did it feel like to complete so many events?
I am not a marathon racer—I’m a marathon finisher. When I first started, I was competitive, but after a while, I decided to focus on introducing others to run. I’ve encouraged other coworkers to participate in these events. Since losing the weight and running, my whole life has changed, and The Home Depot has been a big part of that.
