A group of roughly 30 beachgoers marched the Santa Monica Beach for the first mile of a 3,000-mile cross-country trek, walking in solidarity with Guinness World Record holder Anton Nootenboom.
Otherwise known as "The Barefoot Dutchman," Nootenboom began the groundbreaking journey the morning of Feb. 17, setting out to travel from Los Angeles to New York City on his bare feet via sneaker brand Barebarics, which provides a near-barefoot sneaker connecting feet to the ground while still providing protection. A Dutch Afghanistan veteran, Nootenboom has made worldwide news for his exploits, including being the first person to walk barefoot to the base camp of Mount Everest in 2019. The Guinness record came for Longest Barefoot Journey, walking 1,876 miles along the eastern coast of Australia in 2021.
Nootenboom intends on making the 3,000-mile walk, a considerable step up from his record, as part of the #BraveMenTalk campaign, which calls attention to male mental health globally. The walk will raise awareness and funds for several mental health charities, including Movember, the leading global charity for men’s health, as well as We Are Mind, a Dutch non-profit providing mental health resources for those in the Netherlands. Nootenboom’s own charity, Brave Men Talk Foundation, will also benefit from the trek.
"I’m excited, I’m nervous … but above all, I have been super, super grateful to see all of you here. For me, it’s mind-blowing. When I started [in] Australia, I was by myself … going from there to standing here, seeing all of your faces … it blows my mind," Nootenboom told the group of walkers on the beach adjacent to the Annenberg Community Beach House.
After the first mile down the beach, walking toward the Santa Monica Pier, Nootenboom will be taking approximately 7.5 million barefoot steps over at least the next 240 days, crossing 13 states. He will traverse unique locations like Death Valley and the Rocky Mountains along the way.
He told his fellow walkers that his barefoot endeavors have proven to be beneficial to mental health, and that others can feel the same way if they choose the activity.
"These are your two pillars that you stand on, these are your two pillars for life," Nootenboom said. "The more you take care of the two pillars that you stand on, the better you feel."
For more information on Nootenboom and the walk, visit bravementalk.com.
