Lang now trains every day. He has a world map taped to his treadmill, a constant reminder of what lies ahead. He has eight hours to complete each marathon on each continent – 168 hours total.
He wants to run each leg of the marathon in under five hours (maybe four, he says), but the main goal is to finish. Last year's winner, well-known American ultramarathoner Michael Wardian, ran the seven marathons with an average time of 3 hours, four minutes, and 56 seconds.
The itinerary starts with running on ice in Antarctica, then Africa (Cape Town), Australia (Perth), Asia (Dubai, UAE), Europe (Madrid, Spain), South America (Fortaleza, Brazil), and North America (Miami).
Lang will try to simulate the challenge by running 20+ miles the day the Ravens depart for their late-September game in Brazil, then another long run as soon as possible after the plane lands in Rio de Janeiro.
He expects the toughest part to be physical recovery. Lang has already enlisted help from the Ravens' training and nutrition specialists, but he doesn't sleep well on planes. There's also the misery of going from the sub-zero temperatures of Antarctica to the threat of heat exhaustion in Australia and Brazil. Overall, Lang isn't worried about not finishing.
"I feel like more than a physical challenge, this is also a mental challenge, and I like to think I'm a pretty mentally strong person," Lang said. "For the cause, I know that I'm going to be able to get through this."
Lang's "cause" is also part of his inspiration. Lang is running to raise money and awareness for one of the Ravens' organizational pillars, O.J. Brigance.