Marine Veteran Breaks Wheelchair Record at 152 Miles in 24 Hours

When Mike Egan crossed the finish line after 24 hours of racing around a San Antonio track, he had traveled 152.37 miles in his wheelchair and completely demolished a world record that stood for 16 years. The Marine veteran and bilateral amputee chose Veterans Day for his record attempt because he wanted to show other veterans and people with disabilities that no goal is too big.

Egan lost both his legs in 2012 while deployed in Afghanistan. After more than 40 surgeries and over a year of rehabilitation, he medically retired from the military in 2014 and discovered his passion for fitness through coaching others.

On November 10, 2023, Egan arrived at Morgan's Wonderland Sports Complex in San Antonio ready to tackle the greatest distance covered in 24 hours by wheelchair. The previous record of 113.4 miles had been held by Mario Trindade of Portugal since 2007.

For an entire year, Egan trained relentlessly with his coach George Briones and the community at his gym, The Tribe. Some weeks he logged over 100 miles in training, building the strength and endurance needed to achieve what once seemed impossible.

As supporters cheered him on, Egan completed 720 laps around the mile-long track. He raced for over 21 hours of the 24-hour period, taking only brief breaks to rest and refuel, and burned an incredible 18,890 calories in the process.

Even after breaking the old record, Egan kept going. He had set his personal goal at 150 miles, and he wasn't stopping until he got there.

Why This Inspires

Egan's achievement goes far beyond personal glory. His record attempt became a fundraiser for Valorfit, an organization that transforms veterans' lives through fitness, raising $25,000 including a $10,000 donation from title sponsor USAA.

The now husband and father of two says the outcome matters less than the journey. "I learned more from my failures than my successes," Egan shared. "The pursuit of something greater allows you to become a better version of yourself."

His advice for anyone chasing a big goal? Hold yourself accountable and start today. "When I chose to do this record, it wasn't achievable, but I knew if I held myself accountable to training and working towards it I could," he said.

Egan's final distance of 152.37 miles represents more than just numbers on a scoreboard—it's proof that with dedication and community support, we can push past what we once thought impossible.