A Brigham Young University student is attempting to run a marathon around every building on the university campus, a viral project that has already seen him complete multiple building-specific marathons. Sam Johnson, who launched the challenge by running around the Thomas L. Martin Building, recently completed a high-lap run around the Life Sciences Building alongside fellow student Kaelently Ruder.
The Marbathon Origins and Viral Success
The endurance project began when Johnson conceived the idea to run a full marathon distance around each individual campus structure while documenting the process through video. In an announcement from June 1, Johnson shared that his initial run focused on the Thomas L. Martin Building, which is commonly referred to on campus as the MARB. He titled this specific event the "marbathon."
Growing Sponsorships and Media Interest
Johnson's social media presence grew rapidly following his first attempt. A video he posted to Instagram regarding the MARB run earned more than 278,000 views and generated hundreds of comments from viewers. Johnson noted that while the scale of the response was unexpected, the popularity of the videos has led to significant local attention.
Recent Achievements at LSB
The project's success has transitioned from a personal challenge into a sponsored endeavor. Johnson is now supported by the BYU Store as well as the clothing brand &Collar. His athletic feat has also attracted interest from local media, including an appearance on the program BYU Sports Nation.
Challenges of Library Running
In a more recent update posted to Instagram on June 22, it was revealed that Johnson and Kaelen Ruder completed 100 laps around the Life Sciences Building (LSB). This specific distance surpassed the length of a standard full marathon. During the run, several bystanders and FSY counselors gathered to support the athletes.
Community Support for Campus Runs
Ruder, who joined Johnson for his third campus marathon, highlighted the unique difficulty of running around library structures compared to other buildings. While Johnson has achieved personal bests on campus—including a 3-hour and 14-minute finish during his first MARB run—the LSB run with Ruder was completed in a time of three hours and 21 minutes.
Future Campus Goals
The running community on campus has actively participated in the events. FSY counselor Cooper Bullick noted that he witnessed Johnson's previous success at the MARB, calling the feat "legit." During the LSB run, various individuals joined the two runners for several laps as they navigated the perimeter of the building.
The Road Ahead
Johnson expressed a desire to continue the series and hopes to recruit more participants for future building marathons. As of June 22, the duo continues to seek out new campus landmarks to complete their goal of circling every single building on the BYU campus.
