Barefoot Runner Makes Stop In New Jersey During 12,000 Mile Solo Journey To South America
By Jenn Bernstein
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) - Hundreds of miles behind him, and thousands more to go.
Joseph Michael Kait-tsu Liu Roqueni is trying to accomplish something that's never been done before.
He left Canada on July 2nd and plans to run an almost 12,000 mile solo journey all the way to the tip of South America, barefoot.
"I had a huge blister now it's gone," said Joseph Michael, "feeling pretty pumped, it's a really nice, nice day. It's a short run today so, twenty miles is short for me now."
Joseph Michael grew up in Mexico, and now lives in Canada.
He trained for an entire year before this journey, a lot of that was barefoot.
But his extreme challenge isn't just for himself, he's raising money for educational programs.
"We are trying to get a foundation in each one of the countries I am running across," said Joseph Michael.
His route is a long one. He started in Montreal, Canada, and ran to New York City.
Eyewitness News met up with him Friday in Florence Township, New Jersey.
He'll continue to go down the East Coast of the United States to Mexico.
From Mexico, he'll run through Central America.
When he hits Panama he will take a boat to South America which he will run down to the tip of Argentina.
Joseph Michael estimates it will take him two years.
"I wanted to test myself and try something that sounds impossible, to see if actually it's possible," said Joseph Michael.
A goal he'll take one step, at a time.
To follow his route, visit the following links:
