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<\/p>\nMOORHEAD \u2014 A Latvian man is taking his push for better mental health around the world. On foot.<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
For Karklins, the next destination isn’t always planned, but the reason to keep moving is clear.<\/p>\n
“This is not about travel or tourism. So, I’m chasing numbers and the … the feeling of happiness,” said Karklins, endurance hiker.<\/p>\n
Karklins says he has struggled with his mental health for years and wanted something to change, so he just started walking.<\/p>\n
Then, a walk around Iceland three years ago gave him something he wanted to hold onto.<\/p>\n
“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. <\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Kristians Karklins with the gear he carries during his around-the-world walk on Thursday, Sept. 17, 2026, in Moorhead.<\/p>\n
Matthew Freeman \/ WDAY<\/p>\n
Now, he’s taking that feeling across five continents.<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
He had to add 150 miles to his journey due to the wildfires in Washington, where he started his stretch across the U.S.<\/p>\n
“I like the challenge,” Karklins said.<\/p>\n
His goal is a world record, following the World Runner’s Association’s guidelines.<\/p>\n
“Right now, I’m doing like 30 miles every day for the past, like, over a month,” he said.<\/p>\n
Along the way, he’s raising money for CALM, or Campaign Against Living Miserably, a British suicide prevention charity.<\/p>\n
While he is traveling solo, strangers have helped him keep going.<\/p>\n
“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.<\/p>\n
In Moorhead, a family gave him a place to stay and an address to ship his fourth pair of shoes.<\/p>\n
And on Thursday morning, he was moving again.<\/p>\n
Karklins said he thinks this latest endeavor will take two years to complete.
And how much farther does he have to go?<\/p>\n
“Ah, only like 12,000 miles,” Karklins said.<\/p>\n
Karklins hopes to reach New York City by his birthday, Nov. 14, before flying to Chile for the next leg.<\/p>\n
More information about Karklins’ journey can be found on his social media pages: <\/p>\n
https:\/\/linktr.ee\/xtiansebastian<\/a><\/p>\n . Those interested can also make <\/p>\n