On December 12 Vilius Pakalniskis sat down on the sandy beach in Jeddah after running 2,100km in 30 days.
When he sat back and took a breath the full impact of his achievement to run alone from Dubai to Jeddah in one month made him tear up.
All Pakalniskis wanted to rest by drinking water at that moment.
He sat on the beach unable to open his water bottle because he felt so tired. Pakalniskis sat crying on the beach because he couldn’t open the water bottle.
No one celebrated the 28-year-old Lithuanian fitness trainer as he finished his incredible journey through Saudi Arabia.

He wanted to run for charity not as a public show but to honor his inner drive to help people.
Other beachgoers joined Pakalniskis in his tears during his performance in Jeddah. The two foreign volunteers Tarren Hillier and Dmitrii Faterin from Britain and Russia joined Pakalniskis in his emotional response.
The three Dubai residents finished their month-long journey when Hillier managed Pakalniskis’ nutrition and Faterin drove the support vehicle while filming everything.
How did it start?
The idea of running solo for charity stayed with Pakalniskis for over three years before he made it happen. The fitness enthusiast who began training at age 11 had to bide his time until the perfect moment.
In September he found everything would work out after he met Al Jalila Foundation staff at their Dubai headquarters. z
He learned about Al Jalila Foundation so he went there to meet Carla Duarte (Director of Partnerships, Al Jalila Foundation).
Through Project Coast to Coast they started a social media drive to collect 250,000 Dirhams for young cancer patients who needed treatment but lacked funds.
Looking back now I am grateful for our meeting since she shared my running passion as she completed several marathons and half marathons. She knew exactly why I wanted to start this project. The partnership between us and the organization worked because we had a shared interest in running sports.
Name of the project
Extreme preparation became essential before starting this solo adventure.
Hiring a coach would not help me train better because I know my body better than anyone else. My training involved many monotonous activities including long basic runs and light jogging with no demanding efforts.

I ran 200km of training every week without stopping. After my stay in Europe I added nighttime runs without dietary supplements to challenge myself further. To prepare mentally I practiced handling the hardest parts and fought through exhaustion. I trained myself for the worst-case scenarios.”
When did it start?
Pakalniskis started his one-month expedition on November 13. Pakalniskis continued running while Faterin and Hillier traveled ahead in the caravan before meeting him at every 50 kilometer mark.
We maintained the same operational process during all running phases. Each time they passed me my run continued alone. I used to start at 4: Every morning at 4:30 he started running until 11:30 AM and tried to run during cooler times of day.
He suffered lip blisters because the extreme heat became unbearable. Every day I took scheduled breaks during the afternoon heat and continued running until 9 PM when it became cooler.
They traveled from Dubai to Al Ain and Abu Dhabi followed by their path towards Saudi Arabia’s border.
When Pakalniskis stepped into Saudi Arabia he realized for the first time the extreme challenge ahead of him.
During his Saudi highway run Pakalniskis noticed that the road lacked lighting. According to him the roads ran straight without obstacles except for the sand dunes and large trucks.
“It was a mental thing for me. The evening run along the same long path became hard because he had to run in total darkness without streetlights.
I drove on the road’s edge because trucks behind me could crash into me if I stayed in the middle. And also the conditions were harsh. Strong gusts of wind tried to push me off the road and into the sand. It was scary.”
Secret to his survival
He ate sweet potatoes, mangoes, chicken, pasta, tuna, bread, coffee, eggs, and chicken every day. He needed seven liters of water daily and six hours of sleep each night during his time in the caravan.
But Pakalniskis’ body started rebelling.
I knew where to extend my physical limits because my hips hurt while my ankle swelled and my lower back refused to move. He pushed his body to its limits he explained.

Every morning I woke up ready to run despite yesterday’s pain because I promised myself I would experience only happiness when I completed the race.
Reaching the finish line became the toughest part as he faced more danger running alone than when he found dead wild dogs and camels on empty roads with their repulsive smell.
During the final 20 kilometers in Jeddah his body weakened and intense pain hit him in the final five kilometers but he pushed through.
Did we just do that?
The friends stared at each other in shock after seeing the Jeddah beach.
I explained that I had difficulty opening my water bottle. It didn’t feel real. We completed our project feeling shocked because the three of us asked ourselves ‘Can you believe we achieved that?’
After crossing the line I entered the sea to swim in celebration. Many people watched as I swam into the water with my shoes on because my friends recorded the moment. The beach visitors watched them in confusion because they could not understand what they were doing.
After editing the video footage Faterin plans to publish it as a documentary.
We will publish the project on YouTube or try to reach MBC to see what ends up happening with it. He wants his project to teach important lessons to youth and teenagers.
Taking risks in life that motivate others has been my favorite pursuit since day one. Right after my meeting with Carla at Al Jalila Foundation I explained that I needed running for a purpose beyond itself.
Besides the unparalleled emotional experience of achieving an extraordinary task for charity Pakalniskis keeps the lasting connections he made with people he met during his journey.
He mentioned how many people from small towns and road stops left messages on their van after learning their purpose.
We will always remember the fantastic treatment Saudi people extended to us. We met someone whose name was Adnan. Despite not knowing us he arranged hotel accommodations. He took us to his house to spend time with his family members. These memories will stay with us forever.
Be inspired by this incredible journey! Read about the man who ran 2,100km from Dubai to Jeddah to help children fighting cancer and find out how you can join his mission now.