Imagine walking over 3,000 kilometres barefoot through heat, rough terrain, and endless roads. Sounds horrible? Well, that’s exactly what the “Barefoot Dutchman” just did.
Yep, 37-year-old Anton Nootenboom has just broken the world record for walking barefoot, walking a whopping 3,450 kilometres across the United States. Crazy, right?
After 177 days, the Zeelander surpassed the previous world record of 3,409.75 km — but he’s not finished just yet.
In total, he plans to walk 5,100 km from Los Angeles to New York, which means he has about 1,500 km left to go.
But… why is he doing this?
Unlike the rest of us, Anton Nootenboom isn’t walking to get his 10,000 steps in. He’s walking to raise awareness for men’s mental health.
“I myself struggled with my mental health a few years ago,” he tells Omroep Zeeland.
He had spent 10 years in the military and served in Afghanistan three times. Now, he wants to show that “it is okay to talk”.
READ MORE | Mental healthcare in the Netherlands: all you need to know for 2024
So far, Nootenboom has raised over €18,000 for organisations that focus on men’s mental health.
How the challenge is going
Walking between 25 and 30 km per day, Nootenboom is currently facing the additional challenge of a hot American summer.
He’s facing temperatures exceeding 35 degrees Celsius daily, and says he is completely exhausted.
Nonetheless, he perseveres, expecting to arrive in New York on November 2.
An incredible “feet” if you ask us! 👣
Let us know what you think of Anton’s achievement in the comments below 👇