Taiwan ultramarathoner Kevin Lin is planning to raise funds for highlighting the critical nature of global water resources by running the 9,600-kilometer Silk Road.
“I have been thinking about what can be done to draw attention to this issue,” Lin said Aug. 18. “And for me, the best way is to run one of the world’s most historic trade routes.”
Lin, who hopes to raise NT$300 million (US$9.4 million) for nongovernmental organizations dedicated to the water resources issue, will pass through Turkey, Iran, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan and mainland China during his 155-day journey. Planting trees and helping construct water catchment and storage facilities along the Silk Road are also part of his project.
With an eye on worldwide corporate sponsorship, Lin said 2,000 “ambassadors” will be able to run or bike with him over the last seven days of the trip in mainland China.
In March, Lin co-founded The Home Expedition Ltd. to solicit financial support from the private sector for his Silk Road project. The leaders of several major firms in Taiwan have come on board and the ultramarathoner expects more to follow.
Canadian Ray Zahab will accompany Lin on the grueling trip. This is not the first time the pair have pounded the remote corners of the earth in support of a good cause. In 2007, Lin, Zahab and American Charlie Engle raised awareness of Africa’s water crisis by completing a 7,500-kilometer Sahara Desert crossing in 111 days.
Lin has won extreme running competitions in Africa, Antarctica, mainland China and South America. In 2006, he was crowned champion of Racing the Planet, the most prestigious outdoor series in the world. (JSM)