Introduction to the 12 Labors Project
A US Navy vet did walking lunges for more 4.06 miles — breaking two world records in the process. Mike McCastle, 38, completed his knee-crippling feat of endurance across Utah’s Bonneville Salt Flats as part of a lifelong challenge to complete 12 extreme sporting missions.
The Challenge
He broke the world record for the most lunges in an hour — completing 3,262 — and the record for the longest distance traveled by walking lunges in the same time frame, covering 2.22 miles. And not content to just break two world records — he continued his walking lunges for as long as he could physically manage — a total of 20 hours and 39 minutes, finishing with 4,769 lunges over 4.06 miles. He took breaks to use the bathroom, rest and eat — and because of lightning striking nearby.
Preparation and Training
The air traffic controller and performance coach from Las Vegas, says this is the first time anyone has done more than 12 hours of continuous walking lunges. He prepared for the painful challenge with 12-16 hours of gym training over four to six days in a week for three and a half months. And he fueled his mission with beef balls, rice and gels consisting of carbohydrates and protein.
The 12 Labors Project
He took on the challenge as the ninth in his self-invented ’12 Labors Project’ — a decade-long mission to do 12 extreme physical feats. It began after he found himself in “a really dark place” while recovering from multiple knee surgeries that ended his military career in 2016. Both knees were blown out during military training, leaving him without direction or purpose, he said.
“I perform these seemingly impossible physical feats of strength and endurance to raise awareness for charitable causes like Parkinson’s disease research, veterans’ mental health issues, and cancer,” McCastle said. “These were things my late father suffered from and I have an intimate connection to. These challenges are just the vehicle for delivering a message behind the causes. I use these labors and the extreme nature of them to bring in that awareness and attention.”
Previous Challenges
He completed this challenge on October 11 during a 24-hour stint on the flats, and dedicated it to his son, Mikey, three, to teach him about perseverance. A dedicated support team accompanied him, handling video recording, photography, nutrition, and caring for his son throughout the entire challenge. In 2015, he rope climbed 29,000 feet in a gym — the height of Mount Everest — in 27 hours to raise awareness for Parkinson’s disease. The day after his father, Raymond, died in 2016 at age 76, he flipped a 250-pound tire for 13 miles straight. That same year, he pulled a two-and-a-half-ton truck 22 miles across Death Valley to bring awareness to veterans’ mental health issues. In 2021, McCastle set the record for the longest full-body ice immersion, lasting two hours and 40 minutes, in a charity event live-streamed from Bethel, Alaska. This was his ninth challenge — seven of which set or broke world records.
Motivation and Future Plans
Speaking of what motivated him to start the 12-challenge mission, he said: “I was just lost, and I remembered back from when I was a kid, my father used to tell me these stories of the Greek gods and Hercules. I particularly remembered the 12 labors of Hercules, where he was made to endure these seemingly impossible labors in order to find redemption and purpose in his life.” He doesn’t plan to rush his final three feats — and while he hasn’t decided what the missions will be, he anticipated doing his next one two to five years time, so he can train. “As I do these labors, and also as I get older, I do have to take more time and train more smart, he said. “I have a son now also, so I also have to factor that into the challenges and labors that I take on.”
Conclusion
The 12 Labors Project is an inspiring example of human endurance and determination. Mike McCastle’s feats of strength and endurance have raised awareness for charitable causes and inspired others to push their limits. His story is a testament to the power of perseverance and the importance of finding purpose and meaning in life.
FAQs
Q: What is the 12 Labors Project?
A: The 12 Labors Project is a decade-long mission to complete 12 extreme physical feats, inspired by the 12 labors of Hercules.
Q: What motivated Mike McCastle to start the 12 Labors Project?
A: Mike McCastle started the 12 Labors Project after finding himself in a “really dark place” while recovering from multiple knee surgeries that ended his military career.
Q: What are some of the previous challenges that Mike McCastle has completed?
A: Some of the previous challenges that Mike McCastle has completed include rope climbing 29,000 feet in a gym, flipping a 250-pound tire for 13 miles, and pulling a two-and-a-half-ton truck 22 miles across Death Valley.
Q: What is the next challenge that Mike McCastle plans to complete?
A: Mike McCastle hasn’t decided what his next challenge will be, but he anticipates doing it in two to five years time, after training and preparing.
