Guli had done back-to-back races as a way to raise awareness about water issues before: In March 2016, she ran 40 marathons in seven weeks across seven continents. About a year later, she ran 40 marathons in 40 days.
She has said that running around the world helps her better experience water-starved communities first-hand.
Despite this experience, Guli's doctors warned that her age and agility would pose a challenge. She trained for the 100-marathon quest anyway, relying on a mix of daily runs, swimming, and cross-training.
"I've been advised against a lot of the things I’ve done in my life," Guli said. "If we listened to all the excuses, they would become excuses for us, too."