BYU student runs marathons around buildings on campus

While on a run, Sam Johnson, a BYU student, came up with a goal few people would attempt.

"I had the idea to run a marathon around all the buildings on campus and make videos about it," Johnson said.

Johnson started with a marathon around the Thomas L. Martin Building, commonly referred to as the MARB, naming the endeavor the "marbathon." The video he shared on Instagram received more than 278,000 views and hundreds of comments.

"I didn't really expect it to blow up," Johnson said. "I've had a lot of people talk to me about it, so it's been kind of crazy."

He has run three marathons on campus so far and is now sponsored by the BYU Store and a clothing store called &Collar. He's also had coverage from some TV stations.

"I was on BYU Sports Nation," Johnson said.

Another student at BYU joined his third marathon.

"Running a marathon alone is an achievement in itself, but running around a library, that's a whole different ball game," Kaelen Ruder, BYU student and runner, said.

As the two ran around the library, FSY counselors cheered them on.

"I saw him do it around the MARB; it's legit," Cooper Bullick, an FSY counselor, said.

They had several people join them for a few laps throughout the run, and they finished this run in three hours and 21 minutes.

Johnson's personal best on campus was his first marathon around the MARB, which he finished in three hours and 14 minutes.

"I kind of thought it seemed a little crazy at first, but I just decided to give it a shot, and it worked out," Johnson said.

Johnson is excited to continue the series, and he hopes more people will join him for his other marathons.

This is one of many marathons that they will be running on the BYU campus as they attempt to beat their goal of running a marathon around every single building.