When Ria Xi set off on her 20,000km (12,400-mile) endurance challenge, she had no idea what the impact on her body would be. But she was curious to find out.
The Beijing-born former tech executive who used AI to develop running training plans has now developed a daily test to track her biometric data alongside memory, motivation and energy levels as she runs across Eurasia.
The extraordinary journey, which began on May 1, 2026, from Vladivostok, Russia, will see Xi run the ancient Silk Road across 17 countries to reach Lisbon, Portugal, in summer 2027. Should she succeed, she will be the first person to achieve this feat.
Xi has already set a fastest known time (FKT) covering China on foot, from the east coast to the western border with Kazakhstan.