Esmée Gummer has completed The Nation’s 5k, finishing 99 consecutive days on foot across the UK and Ireland after covering 5,000km and hosting a free, open-to-all 5k run club in all 77 UK cities plus Dublin. Her journey concluded last weekend with a finish line at Buckingham Palace and a final run club in Hyde Park, where she was officially presented with the Guinness World Records title for the most run clubs hosted in different cities by an individual.
Setting off on 27th June, Esmée travelled across Scotland, Northern Ireland, Ireland, Wales and England entirely on foot, running between cities before arriving to lead a free community 5k run club in each one – open to all paces, ages and experience levels. In total she covered the equivalent of 118 marathons back-to-back. Along the way she went through 10 pairs of running shoes, slept mostly in gym and leisure centre car parks (with thanks to Nuffield Health and David Lloyd), and welcomed close to 6,684 people through the run clubs, from 4 runners in Bangor to 520 in London’s City of Westminster alone.
“Ninety-nine days ago, I honestly didn’t know if my body would get me to the end. What I did know was that if I turned up, the communities I was running to would turn up too, and they did, every single time,” said Esmée Gummer. “This record isn’t really about me. It’s what happens when people show up for each other, city after city, week after week. I’ve never felt so looked after by strangers, and they very quickly stopped being strangers.”
At 18, Gummer was paralysed following complications during a routine operation and told she might never walk again. She relearned to walk, dance and run, before going on to complete marathons and ultra-endurance challenges around the world, making Saturday’s record-breaking finish only the latest chapter in a much longer comeback.
Beyond the record itself, the challenge’s real legacy is in the run clubs. Across 77cities, complete beginners ran alongside seasoned marathoners, some showing up to move for the first time in years, others using the 5k as a way to rebuild after a difficult chapter of their own. For many, it wasn’t about pace or distance; it was about turning up, being welcomed and discovering a community that kept going long after they crossed the finish line.
The Nation’s 5k set out with one goal: to inspire a everyone to move, regardless of pace, age or experience. Ninety-nine days, 5,000km and one Guinness World Record later, that mission isn’t finished; it’s just getting started.
“Realbuzz exists to make running feel possible for everyone, and Esmée has done exactly that at a scale we’ve never seen from one person,” said Nina Sethi, Head of Brand and Marketing at realbuzz. “Being the official registration partner for The Nation’s 5k meant watching thousands of people, many lacing up for a run club for the very first time, sign up city after city. That’s the real record here – not just the distance, but how many people it brought with her.”
The challenge has raised thousands for charity and is still open for donations. The funds will be split between Sport In Mind, the UK’s leading mental health sports charity, which will use the funds raised to expand its vital work supporting adults and young people experiencing mental health problems through sport and physical activity; Wings for Life, a global foundation funding spinal cord injury research, which has previously worked with Esmée and has a strong personal connection to her journey; As well as causes nominated by the public.
The numbers
Total days: 99
Total distance covered: 5,000km
Total elevation gain: 62,000m
Total hours running: 580 hours
Run clubs hosted: 77 (all 76 UK cities + Dublin)
Countries: Scotland, Northern Ireland, Ireland, Wales, England
Shortest running week: 301.7km (Week 9)
Longest running week: 431.7km (Week 14)
Earliest start: 02:30
Latest finish: 21:45
Total run club attendees: 6,684 people
Most attendees at one club: 520 (City of Westminster)
Least attendees at one club: 4
Pairs of shoes worn: 10
Gym/leisure centre car parks slept in: 35
Guinness World Record: The most run clubs hosted in different cities by an individual is 76 and was achieved by Esmée Gummer (UK) in London, UK on 3rd October 2026
