Dustin Johnson set to begin global world record run on March 25
Dustin Johnson is preparing to run around the world and break several world records in the process. He attempted the run in 2019-20 with no major long-term injuries. However, once back home, while delivering a patriotic piece of furniture he’d made to a customer, someone shot a Roman candle firework at Dustin. The firework landed inside his glasses, where it exploded. He was rushed to the hospital and later had his eye removed. The eye injury means Dustin will be running with visibility in only one eye this time.
Tulsa, Oklahoma, resident Brian Hoover will accompany Dustin Johnson on his attempt to run across the globe. Hoover will be on a bicycle carrying the pair’s gear and food.
This is Dustin Johnson and Brian Hoover’s proposed route for the first leg of the North American trip.
This is Dustin Johnson and Brian Hoover’s proposed route for South America, which will include the Atacama Desert and the Andes Mountains.
The western European route may look like this, Dustin said. They’ll also need to cross western Europe, but that route is currently undecided. The conflict with Russia and Ukraine will likely be a deciding factor on the route.
Johnson says they plan to fly out of Europe, likely from Istanbul, and into Australia for the fourth continent. They hope to run the southernmost ridge in Australia.
From Sydney, Australia, the pair will fly to Invercargill, New Zealand on the southernmost tip of the country. They’ll then run north along the western coast, up to Auckland, a required antipodal point.
After reaching Auckland, they’ll fly back to the United States, possibly in Anchorage, Alaska, to complete the second half of the North American run.
These t-shirt designs are available for purchase as a fundraiser for Johnson and Hoover’s upcoming trip.
Editor’s note: This is the final installment of a three-part series which details Dustin Johnson’s world record run attempt in 2019-20 and his preparation for a second attempt to begin in a few weeks.
Dustin Johnson, a 2013 Dora High School graduate, is preparing to take on the run of a lifetime.
If he’s successful, he will run nearly everyday for a full year, clocking in over 17,000 miles across at least four continents as he, quite literally, runs across the globe. He’ll also become the first American, the youngest and the fastest person to complete the global run.
He is set to leave from Sikeston, Missouri, on March 27, and hopes to return before March 27, 2023.
Johnson, a U.S. Navy veteran, first attempted the global run in 2019-20, when an ultra-running friend suggested the impressive goal as Johnston was recovering from a suicide attempt. He took on the feat with gusto, raising awareness about veteran suicide along the way. He ran more than 10,000 miles over three continents before devastating wildfires and the covid pandemic put an end of the attempt.
In the Feb. 16 and 23 editions, the Times detailed Johnson’s first world record run attempt. Here we’re covering details of the upcoming world record run.
Meet Brian Hoover, Dustin’s crew member this time
In 2019-20, while Dustin was attempting to run across the globe, Brian Hoover, a Tulsa, Oklahoma, man was also completing some pretty impressive feats - first hiking the 2,650 mile Pacific Crest Trail, which stretches across the United States from the Mexican border to the Canadian border, then kayaking the entirety of the Mississippi River.
Now, the pair will be joining forces for Johnson’s world record run attempt. Hoover will be riding a bicycle with a cart carrying all the gear for both athletes alongside Johnson as he strides out 45 to 50 miles a day.
Johnson said it was his mother, Tina Johnson, who introduced him to Hoover and had the idea to ask him if he’d be interested in serving as Johnson’s crew on the second world record run attempt.
“During his Mississippi River kayak trip, my mother went to give [Hoover] supplies at one point and to help him however she was able,” Johnson said. “When I was planning for the second world run attempt, I wanted a crew member because the first world run attempt was really tough solo.”
Seeing that same love for adventure and dedication that her son has, Tina Johnson suggested that Hoover might be a good partner for the run.
It took a few months of Hoover to think it over, but he decided to take on the challenge full steam ahead.
“I love pushing the envelope and doing long endurance activities. So when Tina Johnson reached out to me when she knew Dustin wanted to attempt the world run again and asked if I’d be interested in joining him on my bike, I was very interested,” Hoover told the Times. “I thought to myself, ‘this is a once in a lifetime trip.’ I knew that not only would I regret passing it up, I knew that I wanted to do it.”
Hoover isn’t shy about the reality of the situation though.
“It will be incredibly tough, hauling not only all my gear, food and water but his as well… I know that we can push each other physically, as well as help each other mentally.”
Johnson says he’s thrilled to have Hoover alongside him on the trip, and he’s especially looking forward to his brilliant photography skills.
“I really tried to get good photos or videos last time, but it was hard to when I was alone and just trying to get my miles done. He will have a great chance to get some amazing stuff,” Dustin told the Times. “Plus, it’s nice to have a laid back person to laugh with rather than be alone.”
Johnson said he’s looking forward to showing Hoover, whose not been outside the United States, all the rich history and culture of the places he’d traveled last time on the run.
Global circumnavigation rules
The rules for the world record run are set and supervised by the World Runner’s Association. Dustin says the main rules are as follows:
• The runner must start and finish in the same location. For Johnson, it will be Sikeston, Missouri.
• The runner must run a minimum of 16,300 miles in the course of the attempt. Johnson believes they will likely be closer to 17,000 miles at the end of their run.
• The runner must hit antipodal points, locations that are directly opposite on a globe from one another. The antipodal points are set by the World Runner’s Association. This time, it’s Madrid, Spain, and Auckland, New Zealand.
• The runner must complete at least 3,000 miles on four separate continents.
• The runner must maintain an eastward movement.
• The runner’s path must cross over all global lines of longitude.
For documentation purposes, Johnson will have two GPS devices on his person, recording the run. He says he prefers to keep two in case one fails, the other should be operational. Hoover will carry his own GPS device also, and all three will be used to confirm the running course.
Records aiming to break
The records that Johnson hopes to achieve are to be the first American, the youngest person and the fastest person in the world to complete the “circumnavigation of Earth on foot” record. He also plans to set some Guinness World Records for most marathons consecutively run and most ultra-marathons consecutively run.
The World Runner’s Association lists these world record runners for the global circumnavigation run:
Fastest circumnavigation of the Earth on foot - The record is held by Serge Girard of France who completed the run on April 8, 2017. He ran for 434 days with a total of 16,307 miles. Girard is also the world record oldest runner to complete the global run at age 62. Johnson hopes to complete the 16,300 miles run in no more than 365 days, 69 days sooner than Girard.
Youngest to circumnavigate the Earth on foot - The record is held by Jesper Olsen of Denmark, who was 33 years old when he completed the run on Oct. 23, 2005. Olsen also is the record holder for most circumnavigations of Earth because he ran the global run twice. Johnson is 27 now and aims to complete the run when he is 28, five years younger than Olsen when he completed the run.
First American to circumnavigate the Earth on foot - There has been no American citizen complete the circumnavigation global run. If Johnson is successful, he will be the first.
Running route
For the first part of the North America, Johnson will run from Sikeston, Missouri, to Fort Lauderdale, Florida, about 1,100 miles in distance. They will board a plane and fly to Lima, Peru, to begin their run across South America.
From Lima, Johnson plans to run along the western coast of South America, hitting the cities of Cusco and Arequipa. He’ll then cross the toughest part of the run - crossing the Atacama Dessert, the driest dessert on Earth, followed by a steep mountain climb.
“We’ll be going through the driest dessert in the world, leading into our just shy of 20,000 foot mountain pass with the Andes.
[The town at the foothills of the Andes] does not have a ton of supplies or gear for us. So we’ll be hauling a lot of our cold weather equipment across the entirety of South America just to get ready for that Andes Mountain crossover,” Dustin said.
Once they cross over the Andes, they’ll enter Argentina where they’ll run/bike through the seven colored mountains and part of the Patagonia. They’ll then head back northeast towards Buenos Aires, where they’ll fly to Europe.
They plan to fly into Lisbon, Portugal, to begin their European run.
“Europe is going to be the trickiest one for us, because we want to get as many miles as possible while we’re there. So the route might end up looking like a big M, as long as we stay within the guidelines and our route is approved,” Johnson said. “I’d really like to get as many miles in Europe as possible because supplies are in plethora and the people are really nice and really helpful.”
His current plan takes them from Lisbon to the first required antipodal point, Madrid, Spain.
“Then from there, we’re going to head north toward Paris and Brussels and over to Berlin, [Germany] and back down the other side of Europe,” he said.
Johnson says he’s unsure of what path they’ll take to journey across eastern Europe, and the trek may be dependent on how the current conflict with Russia and the Ukraine develops. However the journey goes, they’ll hope to fly out of Istanbul, Turkey, to complete the European leg of the run.
They’ll fly from Europe to Australia, likely landing in the city of Perth. Dustin plans to follow the southern-most ridge across Australia to Sydney. They’ll then fly to Invercargill, New Zealand, and run up the coast to Auckland, the second required antipodal point.
That will complete that continent, and Johnson and Hoover will then plan to fly into Anchorage, Alaska, and run down to Tulsa, Oklahoma, where Hoover is based out of - then onto Sikeston, where they’ll complete the journey.
Running 45 miles a day, every day
Johnson says they’ll hit the ground running, hoping to immediately knock out about 40 miles a day.
“I’m really going to push to get as close to 50 miles a day as I can, but longevity is the main thing. Forty five miles a day is going to be the most ideal number throughout this whole run. That will get us back in less than one year,” he said. “That’s a pretty big goal of mine, but the speed is the least of all concerns. I’m most interested in finishing.”
The pair hope to be back by March 2023, which will give them three months to complete each continent and two months for the final leg of the North American run.
Johnson said they aim to take 10 days or less off during the year-long run, which will mostly be comprised of days they are flying.
“Last time I had a big problem with people thinking this was a glamour trip and thinking the day-to-day was going to be amazing and awesome,” Johnson said. “But it sucks, and it’s mundane. It’s the same every day. During 95 percent of this journey, Brian and I will be sleeping on the side of the road in our tents, and we’ll just be camped out. Then we’ll do our 45 to 50 miles and camp again. We’ll eat whatever we can find, drink whatever we can find. That’ll be our every day for a year.”
How much will it cost?
So, how much does it cost to run across the globe? Johnson has put this estimate together in preparation for the upcoming trip.
Total estimated Costs: $40,000
Flights: $12,000
The following estimated costs were calculated, but will likely vary when flights are actually purchased.
Florida to Lima, Peru - $400
Buenos Aires, Argentina to Lisbon, Portugal - $3,500
Istanbul, Turkey to Perth, Australia - $3,500
Sydney, Australia to Invercargill, New Zealand - $1,500
Auckland, New Zealand to United States - $2,500
Food: $6,000. “Brian and I both plan on eating off of about $7 to $9 dollars a day. We will not be able to get food everyday. So some days we will be spending $0, and some days we may need to spend $50 to help get enough water or food for a longer trip. Our goal is $250 a month per person. We will spend more in our extreme environments than in Europe,” he explained.
Gear: $7,000. “Our gear is one of the most important aspects of the entire journey. Brian and I both have different needs for this trip, and what is crucial for our longevity. Brian’s bike is something we always have to make sure is solid and ready to go,” Johnson explained. “My shoes are the most important item for me…this will budget in a pair of shoes every 1,000 miles for me, allow us to get gear as it is needed and lose gear as it is no longer needed. This will also allow Brian to maintain his bikes with flats, the pull-behind cart and his lights/caution symbols so we stay legal. This budget would allow us to get good cold weather gear for our 20,000-feet high passage over the mountains, it would allow us to get good rain gear for Europe, and also keep us safe in the hot Australian sun.”
Hostel/Shower Budget: $1,500. This will allow Johnson and Hoover to stop and shower, clean gear and cookware about two to three times a month.
GPS/phone Budget: $4,800. Johnson is required to track this journey on multiple GPS devices to confirm accuracy and precision to ensure all guidelines are met and the records are achieved. The budget allows for $50 month for GPS and $10 a day for cell phone service, estimating $400 a month for a total of $4,800 total
Emergency Fund: $5,000. The pair hope to have an emergency fund in case either Johnson or Hoover is hurt on the run. During the last trip, Johnson was hit by a car on two different occasions. Neither incident caused a serious injury, and he was mostly just sore; however, it’s possible an injury could occur. The money would allow them to see a doctor, obtain medicine or fly home due to a severe illness or injury.
Fundraiser auction and t-shirt sales
A fundraising benefit dinner and auction will be held at 4:30 p.m., this Saturday, March 5, at the Sikeston VFW, located at 709 Smith Avenue. Everyone is invited to attend and meet Johnson and Hoover, both whom will be in attendance.
Proceeds from the auction will be split and used to help fund Johnson and Hoover’s trip as well as raising funds for local charities that Johnson and Hoover has chosen to dedicate their trip to.
Johnson’s chosen to raise money that will be used to build “tiny houses” for veterans in the Sikeston area, and Hoover is raising money for a variety of environmental causes in the Tulsa area.
“In a world where there’s a lot of money and a lot of wonderful people, it hurts my heart to have to see people living under bridges and going without food, and as far as my charity, being able to build these tiny houses and putting them in there for a year or two years at a time, or even longer, is just going to be a wonderful, wonderful thing. Gives them a place to get dry, shower and clean up and then we’re able to really work from there to try and get them a job and help them with writing resumes and things like that,” Johnson said.”
The cost for the dinner event is $30 per person or $50 for two tickets. A table seating six to eight people can be reserved for $250. Those who want to help but aren’t able to make the event can instead give a donation or purchase tickets that can be distributed to veterans in the area.
The event will include a silent auction, desert auction, wine auction and live auction with larger items.
There will also be four firearms raffled off at the event: (1) Stoeger M3000 12 gauge 26-inch black 4+1 semi automatic shotgun; (2) Stoeger STR-9mm optics ready pistol; (3.) ATI Omni Maxx P4 5.56 x 45 mm AR-15 pistol (4.) Benelli Nova 20 gauge 3 inch 26 inch Mossy Oak Bottomland 4+1 pump action shotgun. Tickets are $20 each. The winner does not have to be present to win, but will have to pass a background check. The weapons can be picked up at MKay Supply in Benton or shipped to an FFL dealer anywhere in the U.S. at the owner’s expense.
Johnson is also selling t-shirts, which come with a bracelet, featuring a world record run logo for $30.
For more information, contact Tina Johnson at 573-475-8112 or by emailing semoworkshopllc@gmail.com or visit the “Dustin Johnson’s World Record Run” group on Facebook.
Follow along
To follow along with Johnson and Hoover on the world record run, join the “Dustin Johnson’s World Record Run” Facebook group, where most of the photos and updates will be posted. Johnson will also be posting on Instagram, @Runningforvets.