Twin Cities man finishes 24-hour trip on treadmill

By PAUL WALSH, Star Tribune

Last update: February 3, 2009 - 2:21 PM

A Twin Cities man marked his 30th birthday today by spending 24 hours on a treadmill.

B.J. Van Beusekom's same-view indoor odyssey ended at noon today after he covered about 80 miles, or the equivalent of more than three marathons. The veteran marathoner pulled off the feat at Athletic Performance Inc. (API), a training center in Brooklyn Center.

A smiling Van Beusekom gingerly dismounted the treadmill precisely at noon, took his obviously stiff legs over to the nearest chair he could find and lowered himself into the seat.

Van Beusekom, at 6 feet tall and typically 175 pounds, took breaks only for the bathroom and to change clothes.

"I feel OK," he said about 30 minutes after hitting the metaphorical finish line. "The legs just feel a little tight, of course."

As for the rest of his birthday, Van Beusekom said he wants to get a massage and lie down for nap.

Any chance of spending another 24 hours on a treadmill? "It's probably too soon to ask," he said.

A long list of activities were held at API to keep Van Beusekom motivited and awake: among them a dance with a disc jockey and a sleepover, complete with a big-screen television.

API's website says that Van Beusekom wanted to "do something to challenge himself." That challenge is also helping raise money for the American Lung Association.

Van Beusekom's training included swinging sledgehammers, doing yoga and chanting Hail Marys.

Paul Walsh • 612-673-4482

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