26 barefoot marathons for
26 teenagers and young adults

26 barefoot marathons for 26 teenagers and young adults

Anton Nootenboom for The Barefoot Dutchman Foundation

A new world record to help prevent the staggeringly high numbers of suicide among teenagers and young adults.

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April 2027, The final World record

I’m going for my last world record.

I've already got three world records: becoming the first person ever to walk barefoot to base camp Mt. Everest, I walked 3,019 km across Australia, and more recently I walked 5,104 km from Los Angeles to New York City across the US, to raise awareness for mental health.

I’ve already got three world records: becoming the first person ever to walk barefoot to base camp Mt. Everest, I walked 3,019 km across Australia, and more recently I walked 5,104 km from Los Angeles to New York City across the US, to raise awareness for mental health.

But I'm not done yet. This time I'm bringing it home.

Anton Nootenboom speaking into a microphone at an event

250,000

young people are lost worldwide every year. That's almost one every 2 minutes.

young people are lost worldwide every year. That’s almost one every 2 minutes.

young people are lost in the Netherlands every month. Almost an entire classroom.

I want to help prevent this.

I’ll run one marathon for every young person we lose each month: 26 marathons in a row, barefoot, 1,097 km all around the Netherlands.

It’s never been done before.

The finish line is the Olympic Stadium in Amsterdam, which will host the biggest mental resilience event in the country.

And you can be there!

The funds raised will bring free mental health and resilience education to every single school.

It’s time we stop treating the symptoms and start focusing on the core.

This is my final world record. My final call to you guys.

This is my final world record. My final call to you, guys.

– Anton Nootenboom, Co-Founder Mentale Werkkracht

Every €20 helps one person.

Help me help them.

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In previous world records, Anton raised hundreds of thousands for multiple charities and reached tens of millions of people.

Main sponsor

Anton’s mission starts in schools. Together we continue at work.

Mentale Werkkracht is the main sponsor of the world record. We share the same belief: don’t wait until people break down. Build resilience before they do.

What is Mentale Werkkracht?

A programme for organisations that measurably improves their employees’ mental health in the workplace. Scientifically substantiated, with proven results.

People don’t just drop out. There’s always a reason, and it’s almost always visible sooner than you think.

Why it matters for your organisation

€648

The average cost of a single sick day: salary, replacement, planning and lost time.

17–25%

Less sick leave in the organisations we work with.

€517,752

What absenteeism costs an average 200-person company every year.

What does sick leave cost your organisation?

Calculate your absenteeism costs

Learn more (NL page)

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