His name hints of an unconventional origin and his next journey reveals his desire in doing things `` differently '' : . So differently that Joseph Michael Liu Kai-Tsu Roqueni , 32 , plans to run barefoot from Canada to Argentina in 18 months . The `` Chexican '' -- as he describes himself because of his Chinese , Mexican and Canadian roots -- departed Montreal on July 2 and will cross 14 countries all the way down to Ushuaia , Tierra del Fuego , known as the southernmost city in the world . Kai-Tsu 's strategy is to run about 25 kilometers ( 15.5 miles ) or two-and-a-half hours -- whichever comes first -- twice a day . He will run barefoot because `` no one has else done it , '' it 's cheaper and he wo n't have to carry lots of pairs of running shoes with him . Overall , Joseph 's feet will cover 19,000 kilometers ( about 11,806 miles ) of roads , a distance nearly 7,000 kilometers ( 4,349 miles ) greater than the Earth 's diameter . Kai-Tsu 's also plans to raise funds for an organization to promote education of each country that he runs across . For now , he has picked an organization in Canada and Mexico . His inspiration : Ernesto `` Che '' Guevara 's motorcycle journey across South America and the case of a Uruguayan rugby team stranded in the mountains for over two months after their plane crashed in the Chilean Andes . But his `` true guru '' is the Italian mountaineer Reinhold Messner , who has climbed all 14 `` eight-thousanders '' peaks ( mountains over 8,000 meters or 26,000 feet above sea level ) without oxygen . `` I thought my friends did n't believe me '' Kai-Tsu has just graduated from Concordia University in Montreal where he obtained an Industrial Engineering degree . He was part of the university 's cross-country running club . However , not even his running teammates , he says , believed he was going to start the adventure . `` They tell me I 'm crazy and I thought my friends did n't believe me , '' he told CNNMéxico.com days before starting his adventure . His family supports him , though his dad remains `` concerned , '' even though Kai-Tsu has done his best to reassure him . Kai-Tsu compares the skeptics of his journey to those who doubted Christopher Columbus ' plan to sail across the Atlantic . `` It is like telling Columbus : 'You are crazy , the Earth is flat and your boat will drop off ' -- he would never have sailed and discovered that the Earth is round . '' Why did he `` hang up the sneakers ? '' Kai-Tsu has been training for over a year . To prepare himself -- `` because the mechanics are different , '' -- he says , he has run barefoot on almost all the surfaces he will find along the road and during all his training sessions , he wore the backpack he will carry with him through the journey . Before he started training , he read about the Tarahumara tribe , the history of human exploration and the minimalistic running trend , that according to Mexican marathon runner German Silva , could be `` a response in our society where there 's so much of everything . '' Kai-Tsu 's barefoot training has been gradual and so far , the longest distance he has run is 20 kilometers ( a little over 12 miles , ) , with four of those ( 2.48 miles ) in the snow . According to Silva , the most harmful surfaces for the human feet are pavement or running tracks , and for this reason Kai-Tsu will try to avoid paved roads . He is carrying only four pairs of sandals whose soles are designed specially for running and he plans to wear them when his feet become sensitive . Kai-Tsu has n't followed a specific diet since he will eat `` what I can find '' along the way . He will try to consume chia seeds , a food source that `` contains 21 % protein , a level markedly greater than other nutritional grains such as wheat , corn , rice , oats , barley , and amaranth , '' according to the European Food Safety Authority . His sponsors will also provide him with granola bars and vegetable supplements . `` No one will follow me . '' He picked this journey because he wants to be different from other adventurers such as Jesper Olsen , who has also run around the world . The difference : he has worn his running shoes and a support team escorted him along his treks . Unlike Olsen , `` no one will follow me , '' Kai-Tsu said . His route has been based on the seasons so he does n't run during winter . He knows where he will be every day , so in December he plans to be in Central America , but he refrains from giving more dates and places because he does n't know what could happen along the way . He is aware of the risks , from robberies to encounters with wild animals . He is only carrying a first aid kit and an emergency button to be rescued by helicopter if needed , and although Kai-Tsu tries not to think about it , he says that if something does happen to him , he will go back to Canada to be treated and then he 'll resume his journey . `` I will not give up easily , '' he insisted . You can follow Kai-Tsu 's journey on his website : http : //www.runningtotheendoftheworld.com/ .
Joseph Michael Liu Kai-Tsu Roqueni to run barefoot from Canada to Argentina . The `` Chexican '' left Montreal on Tuesday and will run south through 14 countries . Kai-Tsu is running barefoot because it `` is something no one has done '' Joseph 's feet will cover 19,000 kilometers of roads , greater than Earth 's diameter .