Martin Parnell

In 2010, following a 25 year mining career, Martin started his "Quests for Kids" initiative. Over the next five years he completed 10 "Quests". These included running 250 marathons in one year, setting five Guinness World Records and submitting Mount Kilimanjaro in 21 hours. At the end of 2014 over $1.3m had been raised for Right To Play and 27,000 children had been given the gift of hope. He is a member of the Rotary Club of Cochrane and was awarded the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal in October 2012. In January 2013 he was named as one of the Calgary Heralds “20 Compelling Calgarians”. Martin has made numerous keynote and workshop presentations across Canada, US and UK. He has published three books: “MARATHON QUEST”, “RUNNING TO THE EDGE” and “THE SECRET MARATHON” – Empowering women and girls in Afghanistan through sport”. He is a TEDx speaker and Executive Producer of “THE SECRET MARATHON” documentary. Martin is married to Sue; they have three children, Kyle, Kristina and Calum and three grandchildren, Autumn, Nathan and Matthew Conner and a cat named Tess.