World Runner Treks Through Warsaw
July 28, 2016 at 4:25 p.m.
Mount Everest, the uncontested peak of the world, stands 29,035 feet, or 5-1/2 miles, above sea level.
The summit of the mountain was first reached in 1953 by New Zealander Sir Edmund Hillary, and since that date, hundreds of climbers ascended to the top of the world's tallest mountain.
For Jesper Olsen, of Copenhagen, Denmark, 5-1/2 miles is but an hour of his estimated year-and-10-month project.
Since Jan. 1 2004, Olsen has been running around the globe, and plans to complete his 16,156 mile expedition by the year's end. On Friday and Saturday, Olsen ran on U.S. 30 through Warsaw, and will make his way through Columbia City and Fort Wayne today and Tuesday as he finishes up the last leg of his world track.
According to Olsen, running the distance of the world is one of the few athletic feats mankind has not accomplished.
"For me, this is the last standing challenge yet to be conquered," Olsen said. "There have been attempts before, but no one has ever been able to finish."
Olsen began his World Run Project at the Greenwich Observatory in London, running alongside Alexander Korotkov, of Russia, a runner who planned to complete the world lap with Olsen.
Korotkov fell to a tendon injury in an early stage of the project, and continued on for five months with complications before bowing out. Another runner, Kazuko Kaihata, of Japan, accompanied Olsen through Russia and Japan, but also fell to injury and could not continue.
After running through Europe, Russia, Japan and Australia, Olsen then flew to Los Angeles and began the North American section of the project.
Going north along the west coast of the United States and east through a majority of Canada, Olsen then traveled south into Minneapolis and began his run on U.S. 30. He projects to end in New York Oct. 1, before traveling to Ireland to complete his last section.
"I've really had to watch myself in the last six months. I'm not as strong as when I began, so my routine is much more disciplined," Olsen said. "I'm close, but I still want to be careful not to injure myself or fall behind my schedule."
The Guinness Book of World Records works alongside Olsen, providing him with a GPS system to prove the total distance traveled. Olsen also maintains a photographic log book on the project's Web site, www.worldrun.org, for further proof.
An Australian-based organization provides Olsen with contacts in the United States, and through their efforts, connected Olsen with Warsaw residents Bill and Mary Crane.
The Cranes accompanied Olsen on his Saturday run from Plymouth to Warsaw, and allowed him to stay at their home before he moved on towards Columbia City.
"He's completing an amazing run," Bill Crane said. "We're just happy we can help him out along the way."
Olsen said he runs for approximately five to six hours a day, and sleeps for 10 hours. During runs, he eats "excel" foods, which are nutritional bars and shakes, and drinks plenty of water. By the time he is finished with the daily run, he then rests for two hours.
"Now more than ever, I need the sleep," Olsen said. "I run, then take a long nap, then eat a good meal, then sleep again."
When asked what all he eats for dinner, Olsen smiled and said, "At night I'll eat what I want. It keeps me going for the next day."
With less than four months left, Olsen said the project has been a success and wonderful experience.
"We planned the whole project for 2-1/2 years before we began," Olsen said. "I'm happy to have gotten this far and know that I am nearing completion. It'll be nice to stay in one place for awhile."
After completion, Olsen plans to travel back to Denmark and relax as best he can.
"When I'm done, I'll be getting a lot of rest, and hopefully I'll stay off running for awhile," Olsen said. "It'll be time to get back to work." [[In-content Ad]]
Mount Everest, the uncontested peak of the world, stands 29,035 feet, or 5-1/2 miles, above sea level.
The summit of the mountain was first reached in 1953 by New Zealander Sir Edmund Hillary, and since that date, hundreds of climbers ascended to the top of the world's tallest mountain.
For Jesper Olsen, of Copenhagen, Denmark, 5-1/2 miles is but an hour of his estimated year-and-10-month project.
Since Jan. 1 2004, Olsen has been running around the globe, and plans to complete his 16,156 mile expedition by the year's end. On Friday and Saturday, Olsen ran on U.S. 30 through Warsaw, and will make his way through Columbia City and Fort Wayne today and Tuesday as he finishes up the last leg of his world track.
According to Olsen, running the distance of the world is one of the few athletic feats mankind has not accomplished.
"For me, this is the last standing challenge yet to be conquered," Olsen said. "There have been attempts before, but no one has ever been able to finish."
Olsen began his World Run Project at the Greenwich Observatory in London, running alongside Alexander Korotkov, of Russia, a runner who planned to complete the world lap with Olsen.
Korotkov fell to a tendon injury in an early stage of the project, and continued on for five months with complications before bowing out. Another runner, Kazuko Kaihata, of Japan, accompanied Olsen through Russia and Japan, but also fell to injury and could not continue.
After running through Europe, Russia, Japan and Australia, Olsen then flew to Los Angeles and began the North American section of the project.
Going north along the west coast of the United States and east through a majority of Canada, Olsen then traveled south into Minneapolis and began his run on U.S. 30. He projects to end in New York Oct. 1, before traveling to Ireland to complete his last section.
"I've really had to watch myself in the last six months. I'm not as strong as when I began, so my routine is much more disciplined," Olsen said. "I'm close, but I still want to be careful not to injure myself or fall behind my schedule."
The Guinness Book of World Records works alongside Olsen, providing him with a GPS system to prove the total distance traveled. Olsen also maintains a photographic log book on the project's Web site, www.worldrun.org, for further proof.
An Australian-based organization provides Olsen with contacts in the United States, and through their efforts, connected Olsen with Warsaw residents Bill and Mary Crane.
The Cranes accompanied Olsen on his Saturday run from Plymouth to Warsaw, and allowed him to stay at their home before he moved on towards Columbia City.
"He's completing an amazing run," Bill Crane said. "We're just happy we can help him out along the way."
Olsen said he runs for approximately five to six hours a day, and sleeps for 10 hours. During runs, he eats "excel" foods, which are nutritional bars and shakes, and drinks plenty of water. By the time he is finished with the daily run, he then rests for two hours.
"Now more than ever, I need the sleep," Olsen said. "I run, then take a long nap, then eat a good meal, then sleep again."
When asked what all he eats for dinner, Olsen smiled and said, "At night I'll eat what I want. It keeps me going for the next day."
With less than four months left, Olsen said the project has been a success and wonderful experience.
"We planned the whole project for 2-1/2 years before we began," Olsen said. "I'm happy to have gotten this far and know that I am nearing completion. It'll be nice to stay in one place for awhile."
After completion, Olsen plans to travel back to Denmark and relax as best he can.
"When I'm done, I'll be getting a lot of rest, and hopefully I'll stay off running for awhile," Olsen said. "It'll be time to get back to work." [[In-content Ad]]