Jesper Olsen

Jesper Olsen, or Jesper Kenn Olsen, is an ultra distance runner from Denmark.

Education

Olsen has a Master's degree in political science from Copenhagen University. He also has a law degree.

World Run I

Olsen ran around the world in 22 months, starting on 1 January 2004 and finishing on 23 October 2005.The New York Times, 25 October 2005. His route consisted of: London-Copenhagen-Moscow-Vladivostok-(air)-Niigata,-Tokyo-(air)-Sydney-Perth,-(air)-Los Angeles-Vancouver-New York City-(air)-Shannon -Dublin-(air)-Liverpool-London. The route totalled 26000km, exceeding the previous record of 23000km.He averaged 28 miles a day, slightly more than a marathon.

During most of the run, he pushed a baby carriage, in which he kept food, beverages, a tent, and other equipment. While running through Russia and half of the U.S., he was aided by a support car transporting these supplies. From London to central Siberia he was accompanied by Alexander Korotkov of Russia, who planned to run around the world with Olsen but gave up in central Siberia after 10,000 km.

In October 2006, Jorden Rundt i Løb ("World Run" in English) was published.

World Run II

Olsen and Sarah Barnett ran the North-South route starting on 1 July 2008. The North-South run aimed to complete a distance of 40000 km, thus making it the world's longest fully GPS-documented run. The run went from top to bottom of the globe and back, running across four continents, multiple cultures, natural environments, and a huge range of temperatures and terrain. It started at North Cape, Norway, Norway (1 July 2008) passing Helsinki, Finland (4 August), Copenhagen, Denmark (25 August), Budapest, Hungary (25 September), and Istanbul, Turkey (5 November). On December 1, 2008, near Silifke, Turkey, Barnett had to give up after 7334 km, and Olsen continued alone. He passed Cairo, Egypt (1 January 2009) and Addis Ababa, Ethiopia (16 April). Cape Town in South Africa was reached by 15 March 2010, thereby completing the first half of the run and the first documented run through Africa, a distance of 21,449.

Olsen spent more than six months recovering in Denmark due to dysenteria, malaria, and two operations due to eliminate deep infections in his right arm.He then continued his run on 1 January 2011 from Punta Arenas for the last half of the run, through South America and North America to Newfoundland and Labrador. He had hoped to complete the run by summer 2012.

Live Tracking via GPS

Olsen is tracking World Run II with a GPS tracking unit via Endomondo Sports Tracker. Live coverage of the run is available from the Endomondo section of the World Run II website.

Other achievements

Olsen founded the World Run project. He has been a marathon runner since the age of 15. He has achieved various milestones, including the European elite on 100 km and 24-hours; the national recordholder on 100 km, 24-hours and 6-days (6:58, 224 km, 549 km); and the national elite on marathon (2:27).

Jesper also won the Cliff Young 6 Day Race in November 2004, running 756 kilometres. He also won the South African 6-day race in April 2008 with a total of 685 kilometres.

Personal bests

• 10 km - 31:29 min
• ½ marathon - 1:08:10 h
• Marathon - 2:27:57 h
• 100 km - 6:58:31 h
• 100 miles - 15:26:09 h
• 6-days - 780 km
• Longest run: 26,232 km /1 lap (Earth) - 662 days

References

• "Jesper Olsen World Run Interview", Sri Chinmoy Marathon Team., September 7, 2009, accessed December 15, 2010.
• Jesper Olsen Completes Australian Leg of World Run
• "Jesper Olsen Circles the Globe on Foot", Orato Media
• Runner's World - Jesper Olsen 051021

External links

• Olsen's profile at worldrun.org
• Olsen's World Run I media coverage