Kai Markus Xiong from Germany didn't bring much when he began his super marathon on March 12, starting from Hamburg's landmark concert hall, the Elbphilharmonie, by the Elbe River.

His destination: Shanghai. On foot.

Even Xiong himself considered his adventure "a bit crazy". In about eight months, the running maniac will follow the historic Silk Road for approximately 12,000 kilometers, with an estimated 18.5 million steps.

According to Xiong's ambitious plan, he will "run, hike, walk, or crawl" 50 to 70 kilometers per day, and reach his destination in November - after wearing out 40 pairs of running shoes and consuming copious amounts of organges and peanut brittle.

Making the trip with him, his best friend, Victor Neubauer, an experienced adventurer, will transport most of the equipment and food in a Volkswagen beetle towing a mobile shelter.

They will rest and get supplies in cities or villages en route, but if they are exhausted in the middle of nowhere, they may need to huddle together for warmth and sleep, Xiong says.

"The most difficult thing is I will not be able to support my family and friends back home. If something happens, it will be really really difficult for me to do anything," says Xiong, who married a Chinese woman and has a child.

The ancient trade route linking East and West has witnessed merchants and explorers but never a long-distance runner.

"The main goal is to bridge the cultural gaps and dismantle prejudices between Germans and Chinese," Xiong said, adding that his long journey will be covered by Nihao Deutschland, a TV program presenting China to German audiences.

Xiong said most Germans have heard about the development of the Chinese economy on TV, but they probably don't know that China has made conspicuous progress in various fields for decades.

The 44-year-old Bavarian is also a lover of Chinese culture.

(China Daily European Weekly 03/17/2017 page19)