45K Forged in Winter

45 years old.45 kilometers.One decision.

Three years ago I could barely run 2 km.
Now I’ve lost 30 kilos, rebuilt my health — and I feel stronger than I did at 20.

This run starts in Marupe and finishes at IKEA.
But the real finish line is helping someone else take their first step.

Read the story ↓

Live Tracking ↗

Live Tracking will become available 5 minutes before the start.

It Begins In

Start at Saturday, Feb 21th • 09:00

Day

Hours

Minutes

Seconds

Add to calendar 🗓

The Frost Path

-9°C ❄️ 45 km

Show details ↗Download GPX

Cold outside. Fire in the headphones.

The playlist that powers all 45 kilometers.

Play it on Spotify ↗

The Challenge

45 km. Winter streets. Yes, in shorts.

Not a race for trophies. Not a professional athlete story.
Just a personal checkpoint and a reminder that when things get uncomfortable, discipline and motivation win.

Start

Marupe Municipality

Finish

IKEA Riga

Distance

45 km

ETA

5-6 hours

Pace, min/km

6:00-6:30

Temperature

-9°C

Gears

Shorts, running shoes

Fuel

Music, SiS gels, water

Stages

How this run will feel

45 km is not just distance. It’s emotional physics.

Stage 1

0–10 km

Warm-up & optimism

Breathing settles. Legs feel light. Brain whispers: “See? Easy.”

Stage 2

10–25 km

The mental negotiation

Body asks questions. Mind proposes shortcuts. Discipline stays quiet — and keeps moving.

Stage 3

25–35 km

Silence mode

No hype. No drama. Just rhythm, cold air, and forward.

Stage 4

35–45 km

No bargaining zone

This is where doubt usually wins. Not today.

If you’re watching this and thinking “I could never” — that’s exactly why I’m doing it. 💪

Story

Who I am, and why this run matters

My name is Max Papush. I'm 45 and I'm not a professional athlete. I started running for my health and to lose weight. For a long time, I was convinced that running just “wasn’t for me.” 😅

Three years ago, I could barely run 2 km without stopping. 🙃
But I kept going. Slow runs. Small wins. Step by step.

I learned how to run without hurting myself. Added Tabata workouts, cut out alcohol, reduced sugar and refined carbs, started cold exposure, practiced the Wim Hof breathing method. I studied. I experimented. I showed up — even on days when I didn’t feel like it.

Over time, I lost almost 30 kilograms. I built endurance. I rebuilt my health.
And today, at 45, I feel stronger than I did at 20. 💪🔥

This run is my way of saying thank you to my family — my mother, wife, kids, brother, close friends and a lot of amazing people in my life (👋 Dinex) — for believing in me before I fully did. ❤️

If this page inspires even one person to start (or restart), it was worth it.

From Excuses → To Execution

THEN

NOW

This isn’t about talent. It’s not about genetics.
It’s about consistency.

45 is not a limit.

It’s proof that you can rebuild, restart, and surprise yourself — at any age.

If this story resonates with you, share it with someone who needs a push.

Let’s connect

If you’re starting your own journey, or just want to say hi — I’d genuinely love to hear from you.

Email me Instagram ↗