Dr. Barefoot Sidy Diallo
Sidy Diallo, a doctor, retired French diplomat and barefoot runner, completed 547 marathons and 24 ultramarathons around the world between October 10, 2010 and December 31, 2025 to demonstrate that long-distance running is an effective way to stay fit, and live a happy and healthy life.
Dr. Sidy Diallo is also a graduate of Sciences Po Paris and holds a postgraduate degree in international law from Paris-Sorbonne University. He explains on this website and in his book Running Barefoot for Human Survival why and how everyone can and should, for his or her own benefit, run marathons.
He started to run at 55 in 2010 and has already completed in 105 countries 24 ultramarathons and over 547 marathons by December 31, 2025, including at least one marathon and one ultramarathon on each of the Seven Continents, namely Africa, North America, South America, Antarctica, Asia, Europe and Oceania. The book is based on his experience and his transformation from a sedentary senior into a rational, fit and healthy barefoot marathoner, who keeps doing yearly—even at his late 60s—tens of marathons like a walk in the park.
Dr. Sidy Diallo switched at 60 to barefoot running and found out that, while running prevents chronic diseases, strengthens our immune system and keep us fit and healthy, running barefoot is the efficient way not only to regain control of our brain and prevent pain and running injuries, but also to become more rational and ward off Alzheimer’s disease and other dementia.
He has run barefoot a 90 km ultramarathon and more than 190 marathons, including 15 marathons in 14 weeks in 2018 and five of the six major marathons: the 2019 Chicago Marathon, the 2019 New York Marathon, the 2021 Berlin Marathon, the 2021 London Marathon and the 2022 Boston Marathon.
Dr. Sidy Diallo worked in France, Senegal, Burkina Faso, Nicaragua, The United States, Suriname and Australia. He speaks Fulani, French, Spanish, English, Italian, Portuguese and German.
Dr. Sidy Diallo is also a graduate of Sciences Po Paris and holds a postgraduate degree in international law from Paris-Sorbonne University. He explains on this website and in his book Running Barefoot for Human Survival why and how everyone can and should, for his or her own benefit, run marathons.
He started to run at 55 in 2010 and has already completed in 105 countries 24 ultramarathons and over 547 marathons by December 31, 2025, including at least one marathon and one ultramarathon on each of the Seven Continents, namely Africa, North America, South America, Antarctica, Asia, Europe and Oceania. The book is based on his experience and his transformation from a sedentary senior into a rational, fit and healthy barefoot marathoner, who keeps doing yearly—even at his late 60s—tens of marathons like a walk in the park.
Dr. Sidy Diallo switched at 60 to barefoot running and found out that, while running prevents chronic diseases, strengthens our immune system and keep us fit and healthy, running barefoot is the efficient way not only to regain control of our brain and prevent pain and running injuries, but also to become more rational and ward off Alzheimer’s disease and other dementia.
He has run barefoot a 90 km ultramarathon and more than 190 marathons, including 15 marathons in 14 weeks in 2018 and five of the six major marathons: the 2019 Chicago Marathon, the 2019 New York Marathon, the 2021 Berlin Marathon, the 2021 London Marathon and the 2022 Boston Marathon.
Dr. Sidy Diallo worked in France, Senegal, Burkina Faso, Nicaragua, The United States, Suriname and Australia. He speaks Fulani, French, Spanish, English, Italian, Portuguese and German.
Below is Dr. Barefoot Sidy Diallo’s interactive global marathons map. It features most of the marathons (orange icons) and ultramarathons (blue icons) Dr. Diallo did on the seven continents. Zoom in to discover all the races, as many icons are overlapping.
Dr. Barefoot Sidy Diallo’s interactive global marathons map
Below is the list of 103 of the 105 countries where Dr. Sidy Diallo has completed at least one marathon or one ultramarathon. The two other countries are Oman and Ivory Coast:
Dr. Sidy Diallo has completed at least one marathon or one ultramarathon in 105 countries.
Dr. Sidy Diallo at a gala dinner in Chicago, Illinois, United States.
Running Barefoot for Human Survival, by Dr. Sidy Diallo
Dr. Sidy Diallo's book Running Barefoot for Human Survival is available on Amazon in paperback and e-book format (French edition: Courir pieds nus pour sauver les humains).
The young Dr. Sidy Diallo