The Marathon Monks of Mt. Hiei

In 2003, a Buddhist monk named Genshin Fujinami completed the Kaihōgyō, a grueling series of physical and spiritual tests that requires 27,705 miles of walking over seven years:

For 100 consecutive days in each of his first three years as a pilgrim, Fujinami rose at midnight, prayed, ran and walked 18 miles (stopping 250 times to pray), did chores back at the monastery, ate, and hit the sack. In years four and five, he upped his total to 200 consecutive days. Year six saw him complete a 37-mile course every day for 100 consecutive days, then endure the doiri—seven days without food, water, or sleep while sitting upright and chanting 100,000 mantras. In year seven, he trekked 52 miles a day for 100 straight days, usually from 1 a.m. to 5 p.m., then 18 miles a day for 100 consecutive days.

(Source: Outside Magazine)

Fujinami subsisted on a vegetarian diet of vegetables, tofu and miso soup throughout his training.

He is only the 47th person to complete the "marathon meditation" since antiquity. For more info, watch the excerpted Google and YouTube video of the Marathon Monks.