Pakistani-Canadian to attempt sixth Guinness record

A Pakistani-Canadian marathon and ultramarathon runner is planing to attempt a new Guinness world record during the winter of 2015.

Ziyad Rahim has already broken five Guinness world records and is planning to take on two more in the coming months. The runner holds various records for the length of time and aggregate time it took to compete marathons and ultramarathons on all seven continents.

He’s been running for 14 years and ran his first 10K in Montreal using his fitness as a squash player to get him through. He says the race was tough, but he’s since become hooked and by 2005 was running running ultramarathons in Canada, when he ran his first at the Toronto 50K.

Rahim plans to try and set a record for running seven ultramarathons on seven continents in seven days. The attempt will take him to Australia, the UAE, France, Tunisia, the United States, Costa Rica and Antarctica, in that order in a single week. It will be called the Triple Seven Quest. He also says he’s planning to break other records moving forward.

All of the races Rahim runs are for a charity, generally a children’s charity in whichever country he is competing. Some of his first runs raised more for CARE Pakistan, a charity he still supports, which builds schools in Pakistan.

“I generally run for charities that support children and healthcare facilities,” says Rahim. “I raise money regardless of religion, country — I raise money wherever it’s needed.”

Rahim moved to Toronto with his Scottish wife in 2000 to work as a banker with RBC. The family has since moved to Qatar but still Rahim retains his Canadian passport, something that helps him get around the world for all the marathons and ultramarathons he runs. His children were born in Toronto and he says there is no better place to raise kids.