An engaging and incredible true story detailing the early days of Martin Parnell's dream to share the healing power of sport with disadvantaged children around the world.

In 2005, during a four-month cycling trip through Africa, Martin Parnell was struck by the power of sport and its ability to bring people together and bring about change. Five years later the 55-year-old mining engineer, husband, father and grandfather dedicated a year of his life to run 250 marathons with the aim of raising $250,000 for the charity Right To Play, an international humanitarian organization that reaches out to disadvantaged children around the world. In the end, Martin’s “Marathon Quest 250” raised $320,000 for the charity, and he personally visited 60 schools, inspiring thousands of children to get active in order to help the less fortunate at home and abroad.

In Marathon Quest, Martin gives honest and often humorous insight into why an ordinary person would attempt to do something extraordinary, pushing themselves to the limit, both mentally and physically, in pursuit of their goal to make the world a better place.

Martin Parnell started his “Quests for Kids” initiative in 2010 after a 25-year career in the mining industry. Over the next five years he completed 10 “Quests.” These included running 250 marathons in one year, setting five Guinness World Records and summiting Mount Kilimanjaro in 21 hours. By the end of 2014 over $1.3-million had been raised for the humanitarian organization Right To Play and 27,000 children had been given the gift of hope. Martin is a member of the Rotary Club and was awarded the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal in 2012. In 2013 he was named as one of the Calgary Herald’s “20 Compelling Calgarians.” Martin has made numerous keynote presentations across Canada to groups such as IdeaCity, Sun Life Financial, Canadian Wealth Management, Avanti Software, Human Resources Institute of Alberta, Alberta Association of Recreation Facilities Personnel, Centron Construction and over 100 schools. Martin’s first book, Marathon Quest (RMB 2012), was listed as one of Alberta's top five books for that year by CBC Radio. He lives in Cochrane, Alberta.

Martin Parnell's profile page