Bredene (Brussels Morning Newspaper) – Athlete Mathieu Bonne of Bredene starts his next venture during his visit to Taiwan. His mission during the 48-hour period consists of attaining the greatest possible number of kilometres. The previous record was 473 kilometres.
Matthieu Bonne from Bredene demonstrates his attempts to run as many kilometres as he can throughout 48 hours as a part of his new challenge in Taiwan. A new running distance stands at 473 kilometres after 29 years elapsed. Bonne participates in this organized competition rather than running solo because it includes head-to-head competition with other runners.
The competition makes participants run 600-meter loops on asphalt streets while they switch directions every single 8-hour period.
The world record is broken by anyone who exceeds 473 kilometres during the 48-hour time limit after the start. Running more kilometres than the others in the competition gives you the title of newest record holder:
“The record is already 29 years old, and hundreds of people have tried to break it. It is a very highly regarded competition,”
Says his coach Matthias Lievens.
“The participants run in circles of 600 meters on an asphalt road and every 8 hours they change direction. He will therefore be able to see his direct competitors, but it is important that he follows his own pace.”
“He has a plan that is made especially for him. It may be that someone comes out of the starting blocks immediately, but then you have to trust that you can catch up with them after 6 or 12 hours. Everyone has their own personalized plan, so he cannot get distracted. The race is not over until after 48 hours.”
His main challenge will not be the lack of sleep.
“48 hours is actually short for Matthieu. Especially when you compare it to his previous challenges, such as his ‘6 days race’, where he ran 1,038.8 kilometres in 6 days. Or his week of cycling or his record ocean swimming, where he swam 131 kilometres in one go.”
“Here it is mainly a matter of following the schedule to the letter. It is important that he keeps up the pace. It is a very strict schedule. He will have to follow the breaks very disciplined. He will not sleep during those breaks, but he will receive minimal care.”
“The plan is set up to be able to break the record, so if he sticks to it, he should be able to do it. So we certainly rate his chances high.”
What is the background of Ultra-Athlete Matthieu Bonne’s challenges?
Ultra-athlete Matthieu Bonne, who hails from Bredene, follows a path to constantly extend human endurance abilities. Previous achievements of this ultra-athlete include his runs during a 6-day race totalling 1,038.8 kilometres, as well as cycling 131 kilometres without stops and 1,354.8 kilometres swimming across the ocean during a seven-day swim.
His record-breaking performances in extreme sports have created a recognised status for him in the world of sports pushing limits. The Taiwan 48-hour running event represents a continuous effort for him to reach new record levels while testing the limits of his physical and mental capabilities.
The world record for running 473 kilometres was established 29 years ago, and numerous attempts have failed to surpass it. Bonne’s involvement in this established competition represents a change from his individual projects because it features actual performance competition.
The event attracts respect from the ultra-running community, as per his coach Matthias Lievens’s observations. Bonne implements discipline-based approaches and customised strategies to achieve his goal of establishing a new world record at this event.
