Ultra-distance athlete Jake Catterall is on a mission to get people moving. His three-month, 5000 km run from Norway to Spain is afoot.
BY : MALLORY BRITTON • run • 04.08.2023
Jake Catterall wants to push his limits. Go to the edge and beyond. His method of choice? Running 5,692 kilometres across Europe from top to bottom. And while that may seem absurd to most – because, to be fair, it is – there’s an undeniable piece of each of us that wants to see how far we can go. It’s innate.
The project, aptly titled “Way Beyond: Running Europe Together” is Jake’s mission to share his love of challenging his body and mind with a broader community. Though he’s been known to take on many outlandish challenges (such as running a 200 km loop of Holland in a heat wave or biking 1,400 km nonstop around Iceland), they’ve always been solo attempts.
Jake realised that the only piece missing was company. Community. As we all battle increasing pressures in life – stress, illness, loss, change – we need an outlet. And whether we do it for fitness, mental clarity, social stimulation or anything in between, there is a keen sense of reward that comes from physical exertion. Tackling a tough session together with other people? Even better. A sure way to sustain motivation when times are tough.
“It’s deeper than just running across Europe,” he said. “It’s more than that. It’s about dealing with challenges in life. Pushing yourself to overcome them and doing it together.”
For Jake, these challenges are not so much outrageous tests of human limits as they are natural products of his curiosity. About how much his body can handle. How far he can stretch his mind. What it takes to run 75 km for 75 consecutive days.
“I want to know how far I can go – I want to know what my limit is,” he said. “Most people do. That’s why this is way bigger than me. This is a community project.”
Beginning on August 6, Jake’s run will start in northern Norway and take him through Oslo, Gothenburg, Hamburg, Amsterdam, Brussels, Paris and Madrid, ending in Tarifa. His hope is that community members will join him not only for group runs in these larger cities, but also for most (maybe all?) of the kilometres in between, be it for 5k or 50. Prioritising progress over pace.
Jake is partnering with Right to Play, a European organisation that tackles humanitarian issues through sport. It’s a cause close to Jake’s heart and one well aligned with his upcoming mission.
Right to Play will receive any donations given over Jake’s three-month mission. As he sets off, he’s prepped and ready with a crew, a van to sleep in and ODLO kit to help him along the way – from jackets and pants for cool Scandinavian temps to tees and hats for the scorching Spanish sun. We’re proud to support him on this incredible endeavour.
If you’re keen to follow Jake during this mission, stay tuned to his socials for daily updates. He’ll be sharing photos and videos, conducting interviews with other runners, hosting group runs (including ones out of our Oslo and Hamburg stores) and sharing inside details of each step of the journey.
Good luck, Jake! We’re behind you all the way.
For the purposes of writing recommendations like this one, we test tees while running (naturally) or in the gym doing stretching and strength work. So far this season, I have about 400km in the legs and two target trail events fast approaching: the Jura Swiss Trail and UTMB Verbier. So what’s the verdict?
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