Episode
Running a Marathon in North Korea — What Freedom Actually Feels Like | Johan Nylander
- Published
- Feb 18, 2026
- Duration seconds
- 4700
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Summary
What does running feel like inside one of the most controlled countries in the world? Johan Nylander entered North Korea shortly after it reopened—joining a small group of foreign visitors to run the Pyongyang Marathon. At 52, he found himself on a starting line few outsiders ever experience. But this story doesn’t start there. After years covering geopolitics across Asia, Johan was burned out—physically depleted and struggling to run even a single kilometer. What followed was a quiet rebuild...