Mary Gadams

As the founder and chief executive officer of RacingThePlanet, Mary Gadams shares her interest in athletics with a global audience. Since founding the company in 2002, Gadams has developed two main sporting events: the 4 Deserts Race Series and the 'Roving' Race. The former contest refers to a collection of four annual races in China, Chile, Egypt, and Antarctica, which Time Magazine ranked as one of the world's top ten endurance competitions. Switching its host city every year, the 'Roving Race' has been held in Vietnam, Namibia, Nepal, Iceland and Jordan, among other countries. In addition to conducting races, Mary Gadams' company sells leading international outdoor clothing and gear through a website, www.racingtheplanet.com.

Prior to starting RacingThePlanet, Gadams participated in endurance contests around the world. During the ESPN X Games, she served as team captain with Team Operation Smile. This four-person team competed in a 300-mile, multisport event featuring swimming, white-water rafting, and climbing. She placed third in her age group for the Western States Endurance Run, a 100-mile nonstop ultramarathon throughout the Sierra Nevada Mountains. Additionally, Mary Gadams finished the Atacama Crossing in Chile, a 250-kilometer footrace across the Atacama Desert in Chile.