On 21 March, endurance skater and AI student Jochem Kerssies (25) will be skating laps at the Kardinge ice rink for 24 hours straight, hoping to break the world record for 24-hour skating.
To beat the current record holder, you need to cover 655.6 kilometres within that time – the distance between Groningen and Paris. How are you going to manage that? And what about eating and drinking?
‘Well, you need to be fast, but you can’t be too fast, because that would make your heart rate go up too much and you can’t keep up that level for 24 hours. The rest is just a mental challenge. I am allowed to stop, but that’s very costly, because if I stop for one minute, I need to be one second faster for the next sixty laps.
I will be listening to a mix of 90s rock music, pop music, and light techno, depending on what kind of energy boost I need. During the race, I’ll be eating sports gels, bars, bananas, that sort of stuff. I’ll try to drink as much as possible, but the more you drink, the more often you need to go to the toilet. And the more breaks, the faster I have to skate.’
What’s motivated you to do this? And why do you think you can break a record that has stood for thirty years?
‘It’s mostly about challenging myself. I want to know what my body is capable of, what I’m capable of physically and mentally. Sprinting is not my thing, but I’ve always had good endurance. It was one of those ideas that popped into my head and stuck. I started training towards it and now I’m going to do it.
As for the record: I have massive respect for Jan Roelof Kruithof, who set the current record of 608.7 kilometres in 1992. I’m not as good a skater as he was back then, but there have been a lot of improvements in ice-skating technology, both on the rink and with sports nutrition. And so I think I have a good chance.’
This record attempt will push you both physically and mentally. How are you preparing for that? And what makes this different from a regular race?
‘It’s completely different. A normal speed skating marathon is only 40 kilometres, which takes just over an hour. You skate in a big group, so you have to watch what the others are doing. Now, there are no competitors—everyone on the ice is there to help me. But the biggest difference is the intensity. When I got the green light from Kardinge to do this, I focused my training entirely on the 24-hour challenge.’
What’s the first thing you’ll do afterwards? Anything you’re looking forward to?
‘Sleep! And right now, between my studies, training, and work, I don’t have time for anything else, like a social life, so I’d like to make time for that again. After that, I’ll probably start training for something new. I’m also looking forward to having a drink again—I haven’t had any alcohol since September.’
You’re raising money for Spieren voor Spieren (Muscles for Muscles) and the Groningen Youth Fund for Sports & Culture with your record attempt. Why these charities?
‘I want every young kid in Groningen and the rest of the Netherlands to be able to participate in sports. The most important thing about sports is having fun and enjoying it, especially when you’re younger. I want to tell them: don’t stop doing something because you think it’s going to be hard or because people say you can’t do it. Don’t let anyone hold you back.’
Want to cheer Jochem on? The race starts on 21 March at 7 p.m. at Kardinge and finishes the next day at 7 p.m. For spectators there will be a photobooth, bingo, a silent disco and more. Click here for more info (Dutch only).