Spanning nearly 4000 kilometers in America - Hubert completes a journey along Route 66 as he turns 66.
Covering a distance of 2448 miles or almost 4000 kilometers, a former highway travels from Lake Michigan in Chicago (northeast) to the Santa Monica Pier at the western coast. Along this route, you'll find various terrains, ranging from mountains to deserts and wastelands.
The origin of the idea
But what inspired someone to try such a feat? The idea came from a birthday card, where on his 60th birthday, he received an invitation stating 'My Route 60'. A few friends were with him on that day, and his therapeutically-qualified friend interpreted it as 'My Route 66'.
Hubert, aged 66, embarked on his journey from Chicago on March 27th. He aims to reach his destination in 66 days, with plans of finishing by May 31st. This extreme athlete has already conquered the toughest trails in the world, such as the Badwater Run (217 kilometers in sometimes scorching temperatures) in the US and the Spartathlon (246 kilometers) in Greece, which he has completed 25 times - more than anyone else.
"I've never considered surrendering. I've run slightly more than the arranged 60 kilometers per day to maintain a buffer for unpredictable weather and twisters in Oklahoma, for example. But we had luck with the weather. Once, I only covered 50 kilometers, while another day I ran 84 kilometers!"
A native of Lower Franconia, Hubert has already accomplished challenging courses worldwide. Thus, the uneven tracks of Route 66 pose a less significant problem.
Heat and inclines aren't as concerning
Unlike the unstable track conditions that demand switching between the road shoulder and gravel, the extreme temperature and inclination don't faze him. He has "his strategies" - wet towels, ice cubes beneath his cap, and the ideal running technique.
Siblings play a crucial role
Depending on him is his brother and wife, who roll ahead in a caravan. They create hydration stops and give Hubert a daily account of his adventures on TikTok.
However, Hubert reveals that he's not the first person to run this historical route, "I found out about Phil Rosenstein, who ran it in 2008. He went the opposite direction from me - I'm running against a headwind."
As Hubert draws nearer to conclusion, his website tracks his running career kilometers. The graph approaches 200,000 mark and is almost full - he has approximately 1,500 kilometers remaining.
"I'm determined to accomplish that."
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Source: symclub.org
