What is the most unusual race you can imagine?
For Mette Ehlers Mikkelsen, the answer was clearly her 10-kilometer race at the Pyongyang Marathon in North Korea.
Mette's motivation was far from the classic pursuit of a good time. For Mette, it was about crossing the finish line in her very own, personal “marathon” to become the first Danish woman to have visited every country in the world. North Korea was the last country on the list.
Mette has always had a strong curiosity about the world. She dreamed not only of visiting North Korea, but of experiencing all corners of the world. She has tried to share her wanderlust with her three children, whom she has taken on as many trips as possible. For Mette, it is about giving her children the whole world, and everything it contains.
As she neared her goal of visiting every country, the coronavirus pandemic put her plans on hold. North Korea, which was already difficult to access, went into complete lockdown, and she was denied entry three times.
After several years of waiting, an opportunity suddenly arose: You could gain entry to North Korea by registering for the Pyongyang Marathon. Mette immediately registered, along with her daughter Lærke, despite the fact that Mette had no running experience.
Getting ready to run 10 kilometers without previous experience requires a good deal of determination and preparation.
- Mette Ehlers Mikkelsen
Mette bought her first pair of running shoes at Marathon Sport and then teamed up with a running coach who got her ready for the starting line in just a few weeks.
The trip got off to a dramatic start upon arrival in North Korea. Lærke, Mette's daughter, was detained by the authorities, who feared she might be infected with the coronavirus. After an hour of negotiations, they were allowed to enter the country.
The following days before the race were spent experiencing some of North Korea's most iconic sights. The trip itself, which cost $2,200, included six days of food, lodging, and a starting spot in the marathon.
On race day, they should preferably wear subdued clothing and avoid flags, slogans, and advertising brands. Mette chose to run in the t-shirt that the organizer Koryo handed out.
Mette noticed that the North Korean runners wore simple, flat shoes and uniform clothing, while the participants from abroad created a more chaotic and colorful image, many with their mobile phones out to film.
The atmosphere was intense. The stadium was packed with 50,000 spectators, and for the North Korean runners it seemed like there was much more at stake than just a marathon. They ran extremely fast, without smiling, and quietly disappeared if they didn't win, while the winners were celebrated on the podium.
Mette herself ran 10 kilometers through the streets of Pyongyang, surrounded by monumental statues, socialist art and posters that looked like something from the 1960s. For her, it was not just a run, but the culmination of a lifelong project, a personal marathon to experience all the countries of the world and take her children on as many adventures as possible.
Who is Mette Ehlers Mikkelsen?
Mette Ehlers Mikkelsen is the first, and only, Danish woman to have traveled to every country in the world, and also one of the world's most traveled women with children. She shares her experiences through lectures, articles and social media under the name Expanding Our Horizon. Among her many adventures is participating in the legendary Pyongyang Marathon in North Korea.
Read more about Mette's experiences and the race on her blog and Instagram. You can also book her lectures about traveling to all the countries of the world and realizing a life dream.
Instagram: Expandingourhorizon