See Belgian dentist and ultrarunner set Via Alpina record
A new documentary on the achievement of ultrarunner Karel Sabbe has been posted on the video-sharing website YouTube. The Fleming holds the unofficial record for running the Via Alpina.
The Via Alpina stretches 2,650 km through the Alps. Sabbe, who hails from Waregem in West Flanders covered the distance in 30 days, 8 hours, and 57 minutes last summer.
In his new documentary ‘Solace – Running the Alps’ you can witness how the Fleming puts down the fastest known time on the Via Alpina.
Sabbe, a dentist explains that his ultrarunning is a hobby that got out of hand. “I started running to let off steam after a day of concentration at my surgery. It allowed me to combine intense concentration with sport in the great outdoors”.
Sabbe says the mental aspect is ‘ultra-important’: “After 100 or 200km everybody experiences pain, and it gets difficult. If you have the mental strength to persevere, you can make the difference.”
He identifies experiencing untouched nature as his most important motivation. He now hopes his next achievement – planned for January 2023 – will be to ultrarun the length of New Zealand: “This promises to be a fantastic adventure seeing volcanoes, mountains and stretches of waterway perfect for canoeing”.
Earlier Sabbe set a new record in the US running the Appalachian Trail and 3,500 km in 41 days. His speed is comparable to running two marathons a day.