42 marathons in 21 days: what I learned from running around my country | Dins Vecāns | TEDxRiga

In the spirit of Latvian centennial happenings, Dins ran along the border of Latvia, his home country, to get to know it better. Despite all odds, he ran around the entire perimeter of Latvia, 1,740 km, in 21.5 days. His remarkable achievement is intended to relay a powerful message to all the people – even a simple idea may lead to a great challenge to test one's own limits, fulfill ambitions, and make an impact.

Dins Vecāns is a Latvian architect whose passion, already for a while now, is running – long-distance running. Ultramarathon running one could say. Although many know Dins as a long‑distance running addict, this story is not just about running. Once he attempted to and successfully ran 28 marathons in 28 consecutive days in 28 different European capitals. The "28-28-28" marathon all across Europe was aimed to draw attention and support to a charity movement for pediatric cancer patients. Another dream of his is to run 7 marathons on 7 continents. He has already run 6 of them.

This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at https://www.ted.com/tedx

Do you know your country?

I have traveled
back and forth across Europe.

Regularly, at least three times a year,
I go on a trip abroad.

It seems that I know Europe as my home.

But can I say the same about Latvia?

Just like most of the people present,

I have been to Liepāja, Ventspils,

Daugavpils, Jelgava
and other Latvian cities,

but I'm usually in a rush when I do.

You go to a place,

do the necessary things,
and return to Riga.

In such a hurry, you don’t see much.

I haven't been very far away
in the countryside at all.

I don’t know what to see or explore there.

This year, Latvia
celebrates its centenary.

And this made me realize

that I don’t really know Latvia.

When exploring events
dedicated to the centenary,

I had an idea to organize one.

An event to get to know Latvia better -

its cities, people and nature -

not by driving a car or riding a bike

but on foot.

An event to get to know Latvia
without the rush.

Suddenly, I had this idea:

what if for the centenary of Latvia,

I would run around the Latvian border.

I'd get to know Latvia
closer and more in depth.

Inspired by the idea,
the same evening, I made the first step.

I got on my bike

and went to the closest gas station
to get a map of Latvia.

I put the map on the wall at home

and started exploring the small towns
and villages in the area

until I got to Alūksne,

the town of my childhood.

I’m ashamed to admit
that I never explored its vicinity.

Korneti, Pededze, Liepna -

seemingly familiar, but unseen.

I found out that the border
of Latvia is 1,836 kilometers long.

If you take the centenary
as a starting point,

it would be great
to run 100 kilometers a day.

If I would continue this way,
after 18 days, I would be back in Riga.

When I was planning this,

I had no idea how ambitious this was.

I forgot to mention
that I’m not a professional runner,

I’m an architect.

I spend my days at the computer.

I’m a maximalist,

and I want to make it everywhere
and manage everything.

Therefore, I don’t sleep much.

I constantly have the feeling

that I will miss something.

But I like to run.

I enjoy the process of running.

The best times are

when I return from a run
with an empty head,

no redundant thoughts.

Usually, I run as long as it feels good.

It’s not like I have
a special training plan to follow.

Sometimes, I do get myself together

and get into a training rhythm,

stick to it for a maximum
of four, five weeks

before work and daily routines
get me off track again.

Before the project, the longest distance
I had run was 70 kilometers.

But now I wanted to run
100 kilometers a day

for 18 consecutive days -

quite an unrealistic plan.

I won’t deny that ambition
was one of the first milestones.

I thought it would satisfy me greatly

if society would talk about me
as "that inspiring guy."

I wanted to test
the limits of my abilities.

How does the body work?

Is pain just an impulse?

How far can you push
before everything goes wrong?

I wanted to break the stereotypes
about impossible things.

I started dedicating
more and more of my free time

to the realization of the project
"Run Around Latvia."

I was not shy to talk about my idea

or to listen to different
opinions from others.

The people closest to me
and recent acquaintances

joined in and helped with the project.

While preparing,

I went through
a vast amount of information

about my body, its specifics,
the risks, and possible complications.

Together with doctors
and physiotherapists,

we paid attention to the tiniest details

because the strain would be enormous.

Even the strongest joints
can become unstable.

Running is one thing, but it is not all:

What will I eat?

How will I regenerate?

Where will I sleep?

Who will drive?

Are doctors coming along?

Will everything be documented?

What will happen with the blood samples?

Will it be possible to follow the project

and see how it's taking place?

There were plenty of things
we had to take care of.

My main task was to run
and regenerate every evening

so that the next day I could do what?

Run again.

But to pull off this crazy idea,
I needed a team.

Friends to take care of me
when I'm not able to do it myself.

Multi-functional helpers - my drivers,

doctors, chefs, bloggers, photographers.

And if I would have forgotten anything,

those guys should be able to handle it.

To run around Latvia, I took a vacation.

With friends, we created a schedule,
and they took turns helping me:

one friend for the first three days,

then for the next three,
another stepped in.

That way we'd not only
get fresh food supplies

but also an emotional boost.

After a symbolic group picture,

on May 18, 2017,

the run “Run Around Latvia” began.

Everyone could join
regardless of their age.

And people really joined.

Schoolchildren.

Students and seniors.

For some it was 500 meters,
for others five kilometers.

There were also some
who ran with me for the whole day.

Sports teachers planned their lessons.

Parents with children,
with baby carriages.

This great support boosted my confidence.

Even my dad, who doesn’t run,
joined me for the first meters.

In the rain,

in the sun, with great headwinds,

I continued running.

The team took care of me

by giving me water, peeling a banana,

or waking me up in the morning
and preparing meals.

But it wasn't just the running.

I had to recover.

The ice procedures worked best for this -

in cold water,

in ice baths,

sometimes even in piles of snow.

Doctors joined only four times
during the project.

But with most of the minor injuries,

swellings and other things,

I had to cope myself.

My shoes did not survive.

I continued running until I reached
the Freedom Monument.

Each of us is different
and our motivation is so different.

I have to admit that at the beginning,

I was motivated by ambition.

I wanted to be recognized,
already in the first days,

so I kept to the schedule,

and sometimes I had to run
more than 100 kilometers a day.

But at some point, the strain was too big.

My body was not ready
for such an experience.

I had to make a decision:

whether to continue running
according to the plan and risk my health,

or change the plan and run sensibly.

The distance I could complete in a day
was approximately 80 kilometers.

Then I put aside my ambition

because reaching the finish line
was more important than the schedule.

Every day had its routine.

Good morning!

It’s seven o’clock.

Time to get up.

I feel like I haven't had any sleep -

all night in cold sweat,
stiffness everywhere.

But the schedule is tight,
and I have to get up.

I get up slowly.

Jurčiks has already made breakfast.

My head is spinning;
I don’t know where my equipment is.

Where are the shoes, the running socks,

where are the tapes?

I slowly find everything I need

and start the physiological preparation
for the next 80 kilometers.

I would rather not.

Here under the blanket,
it feels so much better.

But slowly I start to find motivation
in all the small things.

My legs are taped.

Jurčiks' breakfast
has already given me energy.

Now I’m ready to run a marathon again.

Almost every day,
someone accompanied my running.

They enhance my willpower.

I have finished a marathon.

A warm lunch is already waiting for me.

I eat.

Just 12 more minutes of ice procedures.

It's cold and gives me chills.

But it's all worth it,
as I feel fresh afterwards

and ready for the next marathon.

The evening approaches.

75.

76.

77.

77 and a half.

Enough for today.

Feels like even 500 meters
could be too much.

I let go of my emotions and collapse.

My body is cold and weak.

I have no more energy.

I try to warm up in the car
with the heater on maximum,

but I'm still cold.

We dine together with the team.

Now it's time for physiotherapy
and ice procedures.

I want to sleep.

I'm sleepy.

Sometimes I fall asleep at the plate,
sometimes during physiotherapy.

The team doesn’t allow me to sleep,

as the evening routine
has not been completed yet.

Naurītis already shouts
the car is warming up

and we should go to the nearby river
to sit 12 minutes in the warm water.

Cold water.

I fall asleep.

I want to sleep,

but the team doesn’t let me,

as I still have to record a diary entry.

At almost midnight, I fall asleep.

The alarm goes off.

Good morning! It is 7 o’clock.

Time to get up.

This routine put aside my ambition,

but awakened my determination.

You'd think I was not afraid.

I had promised people close to me
that I would run sensibly.

Before starting the run,
I called my parents and my sister.

I told them that I would be careful
and run within my limits.

Most important is that
my grandmother doesn't find out

how many kilometers I will run.

(Laughter)

I told her that it will be
something like a hike, a walk.

(Laughter)

I was contradicting myself.

I'm telling my family
that I will take care of myself

and everything will be okay,

but subconsciously I never
even considered the idea of quitting.

I will run, walk or limp,
but I will reach the finish line.

Soon I got to doubt my body.

Both of my heel cords were swollen.

I couldn't stretch the leg,
because it hurt badly.

After a couple of days,
the ankle joined in,

being huge and swollen.

My stomach was on strike as well.

I had never felt so bad before.

If it would continue this way,

I did not want to think
about the next day,

let alone three or four days ahead.

I was scared.

After the daily routine
and 80 kilometers completed,

I tried to pull myself together.

I sat down in the corner
to contact my loyal doctors,

to find a solution

on how to take the strain
off the aching points.

Harijs, Elita and Mārtiņš
were the only ones

who knew how bad it was becoming.

Fear that it may get worse every day

pushed me forward.

Because unless it's critical,

theoretically and practically,
I can continue running.

With every next day my body adapted.

It was paradoxical.

Pain and swelling decreased.

Only on the seventh day,

I got enough courage
to call my parents and my sister

to tell them how I really feel.

Meanwhile, my confidence had grown,
but the caution was still there

because it's very easy
to break the thin line.

And recovering after that
would not be possible.

To complete 100 kilometers a day,

I was looking for ways

of using my stubbornness to my advantage.

Firstly, I cut up the distance
in shorter parts.

I viewed every day like this:

I have to run 80 kilometers today.

Split in half, it's only two marathons.

And after the first marathon,
I will get a prize: a warm lunch.

So one marathon before lunch

and another one after.

Marathon split in half

gives you two stretches of 20 kilometers,
which theoretically is not much.

The first 10 kilometers
in the morning go by quickly

until all the muscles become well-oiled.

Completing a fiver
after 10 kilometers is also easy.

That gives you 15 kilometers.

Another 5 milestones,
and it's 20 kilometers.

When you go by car, you must have noticed

the milestones showing kilometers.

I had a special relationship with them.

I used them to count to five.

And the best feeling is when you
get lost in thought and miss one,

and instead of one kilometer you get two.

It's a great reward!

My stubbornness every day was boosted

by similarly stubborn people
running along with me.

For example, these three guys,

who were waiting at a bus stop
exactly five kilometers from their home,

so they could finish after a fiver.

These three good friends

told me about countryside parties
and other adventures

from when they were growing up.

Without noticing,
not just five kilometers

but a full 10 kilometers passed.

I told the guys they were crazy,
going for records,

as they had never ran
more than 10 kilometers.

I could not forbid it.
The guys were excited.

They told me they want more
and that they will run.

They ended up after 33 kilometers
on the Lithuanian border.

(Laughter)

(Αpplause)

After 21 days, 14 hours and 33 minutes,

I reached the Freedom Monument.

Yes, I know,

three days later than the initial plan.

But I would not change that for anything,

because I reached
the finish safe and sound,

without blisters, injuries or swellings.

My body had adapted to the strain
and was completely healthy.

With this run, I got to know Latvia
from a completely different viewpoint.

On one hand, it was my gift
to the centenary of Latvia.

On the other hand,
those were unforgettable emotions.

It was also the time
I got to know myself anew -

my ambition, my fear, my stubbornness.

The birthday of a country is once a year.

It's a good time
to think about your country.

It's also a good time
to think about oneself.

It can serve as a good starting point
for an idea or a goal.

For some it could be gymnastics,

for others swimming.

Someone would like
to learn to play the guitar,

someone else to start their own business.

But the best point
of reference is this day.

To get to know your country,
to get to know yourself.

You just have to figure out
what your first step will be.

Thank you.

(Applause)