Thomas Sciavitsky Bentsen

I have always loved exploring the world, but over the past years I discovered that the perfect way to do it is with running shoes on my feet. Today I have visited 83 countries and counting, on my way toward 100 – and some of them have been experienced through marathons.

Only in recent years that I truly embraced the idea of combining marathons with travel and exploration. Running in new countries has become one of the most meaningful ways for me to experience culture, landscapes and people. My longest run so far is 100 km, and my personal record for marathon frequency is three marathons within a single week. My best marathon time from my younger days was just under 3 hours, but today marathons are not about finishing times. They are a gateway to people, cultures, landscapes and stories – and a great way to see the world one stride at a time.

I have run marathons and ultraruns across many parts of the world – often in spectacular or unusual places. Highlights include running in Turkmenistan, one of the most closed countries in the world, where we were among the first ever to run around the burning “Gates of Hell” crater in the Karakum Desert. I have nearly been trampled by wild elephants during the Zimbabwe Marathon, run in war-affected Armenia, and completed races in Georgia, Azerbaijan, Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, Namibia, Botswana and Tanzania (Kilimanjaro Marathon), among others.

Outside running, adventure and exploration have always been a central part of my life. I have ridden a motorcycle to North Cape, followed the entire South African coastline to Cape Town and the Cape of Good Hope, and crossed large parts of Eastern Europe, Russia and Belarus back when borders were easier to pass. I have also driven more than 50,000 km across the United States and have a special connection to New Zealand and the south of France.

I also enjoy experiencing the world from the water. I have kayaked across Sweden via the Göta Canal, dived with sharks in Gansbaai, South Africa, and explored cave diving in Cyprus. Whether running, diving or paddling, the goal is always the same: to experience the world fully and with curiosity.

Travel is also a big part of my family life. I have two children who happily share my curiosity for new places. The running shoes always come along, both for training and for joining local races whenever the opportunity appears.