7 Ultras • 7 Continents • 7 Schools
An endurance, adventure, and philanthropic initiative to run 7 ultra marathons on 7 continents to build 7 schools with Pencils of Promise — providing education to those for whom it can seem impossible.
The 777 Project was a year-long adventure to run 7 ultra marathons on 7 continents in order to raise funds & awareness to build 7 schools with Pencils of Promise (PoP).
Traveling to all 7 continents and racing on every terrain and climate—from desert heat to Antarctic temperatures to jungles and mountains—the 777 Project covered some of the most challenging races on earth.
After building a school with PoP in 2012, I wanted to do more. Seeing the lives impacted was the most meaningful thing we've ever done with IMPOSSIBLE.
The 777 Project was entirely self-funded. 100% of donations went directly to Pencils of Promise.
Pencils of Promise (PoP) builds schools, trains teachers, and funds scholarships to provide educational opportunities to students where education seems impossible.
PoP monitors every school ever opened (200+ and counting) and ensures each is in full operation, educating students daily with complete transparency.
Pencils of Promise (PoP) is a for-purpose organization that builds schools, trains teachers, and funds scholarships to provide educational opportunities to students where education is impossible.
Blending business acumen with a humanitarian heart, PoP rigorously measures the return on investment of every donor dollar they spend.
PoP monitors and evaluates every project and every school ever opened (200 schools and counting) and ensures that each is in full operation and educating students daily.
PoP covers operational costs through private donors, events, and companies, and their commitment to transparency allows you to see exactly where your money is going and how it is spent.
100% of your donation directly supports PoP programs and education initiatives.
A self-funded journey to be the youngest person to run an ultra marathon on every continent. Completed between September 2014 and April 2017.

The journey began in one of the world's most stunning landscapes. 63km through Torres del Paine National Park on trails and packed gravel roads with views of glaciers, mountains, and pristine wilderness.

50 kilometers along Chicago's iconic waterfront paths. A fast, flat course with the city skyline as a backdrop and the support of the hometown crowd pushing through every mile.

A 12-hour timed ultra on New Year's Day. Running through the night on a coastal 5k out-and-back trail loop, grinding out laps until sunrise to ring in the new year.

The most extreme race of the project. 100km on packed Antarctic snow at Union Glacier, temperatures well below freezing, 24-hour daylight, and nothing but endless white in every direction.

Deep into the Thai jungle at Khao Yai National Park. 50km of brutal mountain trails through dense tropical forest, river crossings, and punishing humidity.

Running through the Finnish Arctic on frozen rivers, frozen ponds, and snowmobile tracks. Temperatures dropped to -30°C as the northern lights danced overhead through the night.

The final race. 56km around the Cape Peninsula, one of the most beautiful ultra marathons in the world. Running between two oceans to complete the 777 mission and celebrate 7 schools funded.
The 777 Project is complete, but Pencils of Promise continues to build schools and change lives every day.
