MOORHEAD — A Latvian man is taking his push for better mental health around the world. On foot.
Kristians Karklins stopped in Moorhead on Wednesday evening, Sept. 16, before continuing his attempt to break the record for the fastest self-supported walk around the globe.
For Karklins, the next destination isn’t always planned, but the reason to keep moving is clear.
“This is not about travel or tourism. So, I’m chasing numbers and the … the feeling of happiness,” said Karklins, endurance hiker.
Karklins says he has struggled with his mental health for years and wanted something to change, so he just started walking.
Then, a walk around Iceland three years ago gave him something he wanted to hold onto.
“I felt that that was the best period of my life. I finally felt happy. So, since 2023, I was working on this thing to … to maybe keep this happiness as long as I can,” he said.
Kristians Karklins with the gear he carries during his around-the-world walk on Thursday, Sept. 17, 2026, in Moorhead.
Matthew Freeman / WDAY
Now, he’s taking that feeling across five continents.
He started his journey on March 29 in Australia. Five and a half months later, he says he’s logged more than 4,600 miles.
He had to add 150 miles to his journey due to the wildfires in Washington, where he started his stretch across the U.S.
“I like the challenge,” Karklins said.
His goal is a world record, following the World Runner’s Association’s guidelines.
“Right now, I’m doing like 30 miles every day for the past, like, over a month,” he said.
Along the way, he’s raising money for CALM, or Campaign Against Living Miserably, a British suicide prevention charity.
While he is traveling solo, strangers have helped him keep going.
“People supported me personally more with money and things and places to stay at for the night. So, the best part is the generosity of all the people I meet,” Karklins said.
In Moorhead, a family gave him a place to stay and an address to ship his fourth pair of shoes.
And on Thursday morning, he was moving again.
Karklins said he thinks this latest endeavor will take two years to complete.
And how much farther does he have to go?
“Ah, only like 12,000 miles,” Karklins said.
Karklins hopes to reach New York City by his birthday, Nov. 14, before flying to Chile for the next leg.
More information about Karklins’ journey can be found on his social media pages:
https://linktr.ee/xtiansebastian
. Those interested can also make
.
Matthew Freeman has been a reporter for WDAY since 2026. He is a graduate of Dan Patrick’s School for Sports Broadcasting at Full Sail University. He is from Panama City Beach, FL.