Faculty spotlight: Mike Silvio

Mike Silvio, a part-time faculty member in the Mike Ilitch School of Business global supply chain management program, has run a marathon on every continent in the world over the past five years, finishing with Antarctica.

Silvio, who also works as a senior director of supply chain management for Cooper Standard Automotive, has a bachelor’s degree in marketing and an MBA from the Ilitch School.

He ran a half marathon in Venlo, Netherlands, while on a business trip and discovered “running is a great way to see the world.”

“I ran my first international marathon in Rio de Janeiro in 2012,” he said. “That week, I registered for what became my final continent, Antarctica. It is a four-to-five year waiting list due to the limited number of runners that can go on the expedition each year.”

Besides the Rio de Janeiro marathon, he has run marathons in North America, Kenya, Tokyo, London, Australia and, most recently, Antarctica.

Silvio said the real motivation was when he told his father and brother he was going to run every continent.

“Once you say it out loud, you’re committed,” he said.

He said finishing the last continent was exciting, and he’s glad it was Antarctica.

“No question, the conditions were the toughest I have ever had to run in,” he said. “If I ran that marathon first, I may have never run a second.”

“There were 125 full marathon finishers over the two days the marathon was held, and I can honestly say it was the hardest 26.2 miles I have ever had to run.”

Silvio said he is already looking for the next adventure.

“For most runners, the journey never ends,” he said. “After running 7,000 miles training for the last nine marathons, it is hard to stop.”

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