Michelle Hood, a dedicated marathoner from Northwest Arkansas, has earned the prestigious Six Star Medal from the Abbott World Marathon Majors, completing six of the world’s most renowned marathons. Her journey to this achievement was made even more remarkable with the support of her dog, Benton.
Hood’s marathon journey began in 2022 when she qualified for the Boston Marathon after more than a decade of serious running. Motivated by this accomplishment, she set her sights on the Abbott World Marathon Majors, a series comprising the Boston, New York City, Chicago, Berlin, London, and Tokyo marathons.
Not only did Hood aim to complete the series, but she also set a personal challenge: to finish the entire Six Star series within just 24 months. In 2023, she ran marathons in Chicago and New York City, followed by London and Berlin in 2024. The Tokyo Marathon, however, proved to be a significant hurdle, with a less than 1% chance of gaining entry through traditional means. Despite these odds, Hood was determined, entering lotteries and even trying virtual half marathons for additional chances.
Her persistence paid off when, in 2024, Hood was accepted into the Tokyo Marathon through a charity entry. During this time, she visited the Best Friends Pet Resource Center in Bentonville for the first time, an event that would change her life. There, she met Benton, a senior dog with health issues and a shy disposition. Despite her initial hesitation, Hood’s connection with Benton was instant, and she adopted him that day.
Meanwhile, as she continued her preparations for Tokyo, Hood discovered the Peace Winds charity, a Japan-based nonprofit focused on humanitarian work and animal rescue, including the rehabilitation of dogs for search and rescue operations. Inspired by the mission of Peace Winds and the parallels with her own adoption story, Hood submitted a personal narrative about Benton. Impressed by her story, the charity invited her to participate as one of their runners in the 2025 Tokyo Marathon.
On March 2, 2025, Hood successfully completed the Tokyo Marathon, marking the final race needed to complete the Six Star series. With this achievement, she became one of about 20,000 global finishers, including four from Arkansas and two from Northwest Arkansas. Hood credits Benton with being a key part of her success, encouraging others to follow their dreams.
“If it’s dreamt, it probably can be done,” Hood said. “At the very least, you’ve got to give it your best and give it a try. The reward at the end is tremendous.”