Pembroke Pines residents Michael Sayih and Max Fink plan to attempt an unprecedented endurance challenge this November: running a marathon on each of the seven continents in seven days as part of The Great World Race.
What changes for residents
The effort will raise the local profile of Special Compass, the Pembroke Pines-based nonprofit led by Michael and his father, Jim Sayih, which pairs volunteer athletes with people of limited abilities. The pair’s participation could increase awareness of opportunities for athletes with disabilities and draw local fundraising and donor support to cover the estimated costs.
Sayih, 33, and Fink, 34, already hold a Guinness World Records certificate as the youngest wheelchair duo to complete the six World Marathon Majors, a record they set during the 2025 Tokyo Marathon. Now they plan to expand that achievement by tackling The Great World Race, a back-to-back week of marathons that first launched in 2024 and has seen only 83 finishers so far.
Route, logistics and preparation
The Great World Race runs Nov. 15-21 and begins with a 26.2-mile leg across Wolf’s Fang in Antarctica. The race then continues through South Africa, Australia, Abu Dhabi, Portugal and Colombia before finishing in Miami.
| Leg | Continent |
|---|---|
| 1 | Antarctica |
| 2 | South Africa |
| 3 | Australia |
| 4 | Abu Dhabi |
| 5 | Portugal |
| 6 | Colombia |
| 7 | Miami (United States) |
Because of extreme conditions in Antarctica, Sayih’s $10,000 Axiom Arrow race chair will be adapted with skis. Fink is considering training on sand, turf and ice rinks to prepare for the different surfaces and temperatures they will face.
Funding and community impact
Entry for The Great World Race covers charter flights, lodging, race fees, food and medical insurance and costs roughly $57,000 per person. Donors are helping cover the expenses for the Pembroke Pines duo.
- The duo already holds a Guinness World Records certificate for completing the six World Marathon Majors as the youngest wheelchair pair.
- The race spans seven marathons on seven continents in seven days (Nov. 15-21).
- Entry and logistics cost about $57,000 per participant; donors are assisting.
“Michael being a part of it is just going to open up more eyes for athletes like him,” said Jim Sayih, founder of Special Compass.
If successful, Sayih and Fink would become the first wheelchair duo to finish a marathon on every continent during a single seven-day competition. For Pembroke Pines, the effort ties local nonprofit work to an international athletic stage and could expand visibility and support for athletes with disabilities in the community.
Coverage and reporting for this story used material produced by the original reporting outlet and was reviewed and edited by News Block journalists.
