Joseph Michael Liu Kai-Tsu Roqueni shows his calloused feet
According to the US-based newspaper World Journal, Joseph Michael Liu Kai-Tsu Roqueni, of Chinese heritage, introduced his "Running to the End of the World Project" on the 8th in Manhattan's SoHo district in New York. He plans to run barefoot across 14 countries to raise funds for education initiatives worldwide.
The project began on July 2 and is expected to take 18 months. Liu will run barefoot from Canada to Tierra del Fuego at the southern tip of Argentina. The funds raised in the US will benefit the Edible Schoolyard NYC program. Kate Brashares, the program’s executive director, said they will continue their efforts to foster and promote healthy living concepts among children, enabling them to study and grow in a healthy environment.
Liu Kai-Tsu Roqueni, a 32-year-old engineer from Montreal, Canada, has a father from Shanghai, China, as well as Mexican and Canadian heritage. On July 2, he set off from Montreal to begin his challenge of covering a total distance of 19,000 km — an feat equivalent to running 450 marathons.
His gear is extremely simple: a set of athletic wear, a first aid kit, a GPS device that can send distress signals to helicopters, and four pairs of sandals. He doesn’t even carry food or water. His goal is to run at least 25 hours per week and complete the entire journey within 18 months. He said he chose to run barefoot because “no one has ever done this before.”
In 1999, Liu studied Mandarin in Taiwan for several months, but “unfortunately, although my father is 100% Chinese, I still can’t speak Chinese.” He said that more than ten years ago, he only ran for fun, doing so two or three times a week. But after moving to Canada for university, “exercise became an indispensable part of my life.” Later, he got involved with running groups and became completely hooked on the sport.
“When I talked to my friends about this plan, they all thought I was crazy and believed it was an impossible mission. That’s why I want to show everyone through success that you shouldn’t be afraid to do what others think is impossible.” He was pleasantly surprised by the comments from his friends on social media. “I didn’t expect this action to have such a big impact on people, and it’s been very encouraging for me.”
It is known that some companies have already sponsored Liu with oat bars and other supplies, but specific fundraising figures have not been disclosed.
To prepare for the adventure of running barefoot across the American continent, Liu trained for a year and underwent several months of special training in freezing conditions.