A Franco-Laotian runs 11 marathons in 11 countries, tracing a heart across Southeast Asia

They say a marathon takes months of preparation. Steven Kittirath decided to run eleven in a year, in eleven different countries. Since August 12, 2026, the 40-year-old Frenchman of Laotian descent has been travelling across Southeast Asia for the Sabaïdi Run, a project somewhere between sporting adventure, cultural journey and personal quest. Three marathons are already behind him. The fourth awaits in Thailand, where he arrived a week ago and where he will stay for three more weeks.

A project born from his roots

To understand the project, start with its name. “Sabaïdi” means “hello” in Laotian. It's also the name of the podcast Steven launched, the first French-language Laotian podcast.

“It started with my origins. Sabaidi means hello in Laotian, and I created the first French-language Laotian podcast,” he explains. A content creator, speaker and interviewer since 2016, he has conducted more than 700 interviews on his YouTube channel Steven K. He grew up in Colombes, in the Paris region, and has written two books: Chemins, la forge de Soi (2021) and Un timide sans limites : de l'échec scolaire au Guinness des records (2026). Since December 2025, he has held the Guinness record for the longest interview conducted in a cold bath.

Running, for him, is an old story. “I've been running out of passion since I was 11, 12,” he says. That's where the idea for the Sabaïdi Run came from: bringing together his passion and his roots. “I'd like to do something for both France and Laos, and even beyond, for Southeast Asia, because to me these are brother and sister countries. It was important for me to retrace my steps and reconnect with my origins.”

Eleven marathons, eleven countries, one heart shape

The principle is simple: one marathon per country, roughly one a month, from Bali to Singapore. The route runs through Indonesia, Timor-Leste, the Philippines, Thailand, Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia, Brunei, Myanmar, Malaysia and Singapore. The project is set to run into 2027, with the finish in Singapore planned for the end of the adventure, in May.

Not every marathon is an official race. Five are, with a bib provided by the organizers and sometimes a few hotel nights. The others are run solo and tracked on Strava. That's why some months come thick and fast: three marathons in three weeks between November and December, for instance, when the official races fall close together.

Why the marathon?

The choice of distance is no accident. “It's a strong, symbolic distance, the queen of distances. It reflects my personality well. It's philosophical, it's about the long haul, with highs and lows.” Here, the clock takes a back seat. “There's no athletic performance, no times, it's more like a pilgrimage,” Steven insists. The goal isn't to break records but to finish every race and meet people along the way.

Sport and diplomacy

The Sabaïdi Run has one distinctive feature: it relies on a network of embassies. Six of them back the project, including those of Laos in France, Indonesia and Timor-Leste. Steven has also met the Laotian ambassador to the Philippines and Thailand, as well as the French ambassador to Laos.

Laotian institutions are following his initiative closely. “I feel supported by the country, by the institutions. They're behind me. They encourage what I'm doing while leaving me free,” he says. For him, the project is even “historic” in the world of humanitarian, cultural and diplomatic sport. “They're really proud that a Frenchman of Laotian origin is taking this on and honoring the country.”

For Steven, this is his fifth trip to Laos. His family comes from Vientiane, the capital, where he will run one of his official marathons.

A message of peace

The route of his journey draws a heart on the map. Steven designed it that way for a reason: “I want to spread a message of peace.” Political tensions between some countries in the region, such as Cambodia and Thailand, pushed him to act in his own way. “I'm trying, on my own scale, through sport and without getting into politics, to say that we're all brothers and sisters. I like connecting people, building bridges.”

Part of the adventure also has a charitable side. Steven will donate 10% of the proceeds from the project's fundraising pot to the association Sala Sujipuli, which offers children out-of-school activities to help them develop their creativity. A day with the association is planned for December 5, the day before the Vientiane marathon.

© Sabaïdi Run

Steven isn't quite going it alone. His partner is with him on the road, and he laughs about it: “She's my main sponsor! ”

The whole project and the fundraising pot are presented on the official site: sabaidi-run.com