Tom Denniss has run nearly 9,000 miles since New Year's Day, and he isn’t stopping until he completely circumnavigates the globe for a cause close to his heart.
The 51-year-old Australian native started his whirlwind trek in Sydney on Jan. 1 with a two-fold mission, as he wrote on his website. He hopes to make it into the Guinness Book of World Records for being the fastest person to circle the world on foot, and he also hopes to raise funds and awareness for Oxfam, a global nonprofit that works against poverty.
“I want to raise money for a worthwhile charity, while also experiencing a once in a lifetime adventure,” Denniss wrote in a press release. “I chose Oxfam to support because as I am running around the world, I wanted a charity that assisted, not just those in Australia, but people from all parts of the globe”.
To complete his challenge on land, according to Guinness’s rules, Dennis must start and finish in the same place, cover 18,000 miles on foot, never backtrack across longitudinal lines and pass through two places that are on opposite sides of the Earth.
He is averaging about 700 marathons in 700 days, and he neared the halfway mark of his journey in New Jersey this week, according to NJ.com. Once he wraps up his North American leg, he’ll hop on a plane to South America to speed through the Andes.
Denniss’ wife, Carmel, is serving as his support crew. She’s taking photos and helping to update his social media accounts.
Denniss has faced a number of challenges along the way, including enduring 140-degree temperatures this summer, according to NJ.com. But he is confident the rest of the journey will go much more smoothly.
"I'm a little bit homesick, but I'm approaching the halfway mark,” Denniss told the news outlet. "I'm just starting to get a sense of that 'being over the hump feeling' coming through."
Click through the slideshow below to see even more photos of Tom Denniss completing his journey around the world on foot.
SLIDESHOW:
