Ultra Endurance & High-Performance Resilience Experience
From professional jockey to becoming the first person to run across China, Jo Lodder continuously pushes the limits of human strength and mind through extreme running challenges.
These real-life adventures, often against pain, doubt, and huge obstacles, are the foundation of the high-performance resilience, mindset, and execution he now teaches in his powerful keynotes.
The Great Achievement
Run Across China: 3,140 km from the Great Wall to Hong Kong (World First)
Jo became the first person to run 3,140 km from the Great Wall of China to Hong Kong in just 60 days — through mountains, cities, and countryside. This record-breaking journey raised money for charity and proved that big goals can be achieved one step at a time.
Ordinary Man. Extraordinary Run.
Started at 50
At age 50, with almost no running background, Jo took up ultra-distance running. What began as a simple way to get fit after years of drinking, eating, and living life to excess quickly became a passion. Through consistent training and mindset shifts, he transformed his body and mental resilience in just a few years.
Lost 20kg & Got Clean
Jo dropped 20 kg through disciplined training and lifestyle changes. He completely stopped drinking alcohol to maximise recovery and mental clarity. These small but powerful daily decisions proved that anyone can reset their habits — no matter their previous lifestyle.
Achieved at 55
At 55 years old, Jo Lodder completed a world-first 3,140 km run across China in 60 days — averaging over 50 km every single day. As a completely “average Jo” with no elite background, he showed that age, past habits, or starting late are not barriers when you have purpose and commitment.
RUNCHINA.RUN
60 days
3,140km
TWO MONTHS
RUN ACROSS CHINA
“The people along the way were great. Everywhere we went there were smiles, welcomes and offers of food. People joined us randomly.” — Jo Lodder
Crossing China: Mountains, Megacities & Mental Battles
The run took Jo through nine provinces — over sacred mountains including Mount Tai, through busy cities, quiet countryside, and across the giant 4 km-wide Yangtze River Bridge.
Just six days in, doctors told him to stop. His feet and ankles were badly swollen and extremely painful. But Jo refused to quit — his purpose was stronger than the pain.
For the first 1,000 km every step was agony. Then his body adapted. The pain faded, his legs grew stronger, and the final 2,000 km became much more enjoyable even though the run remained incredibly tough.
He ran with nine students who started shy, lacking confidence and barely knowing each other. By the end they had become close friends and a strong team — some even running 50 km in a single day.
This amazing adventure shows important lessons for business and life:
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Resilience - Keep going even when it hurts a lot.
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Motivation & Purpose - When your “why” is big enough, you can do hard things.
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Teamwork - Turn strangers into a team that helps each other.
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Focus on the Goal - Stay focused on the finish line, no matter what happens.
This run is now the subject of the feature documentary RunChina.Run, focusing on resilience, mental health, identity, and redefining ability.
Endurance Landmark
5 Trails of Hong Kong
The first person to ever complete all five of Hong Kong’s major trails in 5 days—covering 400km and over 20,000m of vertical elevation. A feat of endurance that redefined the baseline of physical and mental capacity.
Discover how extreme endurance translates into high-performance leadership.
Team Victory
Oxfam Trailwalker HK
Jo was part of a 4-person team that won one of Hong Kong’s biggest races — the Oxfam Trailwalker. With over 4,000 participants, the team won the mixed category with a combined age of more than 200 years.
They ran 100 km non-stop through mud, rain, and high humidity, beating second place by just 20 seconds and third place by 1 minute.
The team succeeded by working together through constant communication, helping each other, and always supporting the weakest member at any given time in an incredibly exciting race.
High-Performance Resilience Experience: THE JOCKEY YEARS
Jo Lodder’s career as a professional jockey spanned over 3,000 races, where he made million-dollar decisions at 50 km/h. Riding at full gallop taught him the power of instinct, precision, and performing under intense pressure - skills he now translates into powerful lessons on leadership and team execution.
Split-Second Leadership
In the saddle, you don't have minutes to analyze a spreadsheet. You have milliseconds to read the field, trust your judgment, and commit. This environment taught Jo that resilient teams win not just by following a plan, but by executing with absolute conviction when conditions change.
The Performance DNA
50 KM/H
3,000+
Decision Speed
Professional Races
A career built on the edge of glory, defined by the ability to manage fear and perform at the highest levels of professional sport.
From Doubt to Champion:
The Boxing Ring
Early in his jockey days, many people laughed when Jo decided to try boxing. They thought a young jockey had no chance in the ring.
From Laughing Stock
The Knockout That Changed Everything
Jo proved them wrong. He trained hard and became the Stable Lads Boxing Champion. In one famous fight, he delivered a clean knockout that silenced the doubters.
This story shows how turning doubt into determination builds real resilience — a lesson Jo brings to every keynote.
BOXING RING TRIO
The Challenge
Learning to box with no experience, never having been in a fight, and not being naturally aggressive, Jo trained day in and day out while listening closely to his trainer.
The Triumph
Hit by hit, round by round, Jo learned the trade and went on to become the Stable Lads Boxing Champion with a famous knockout victory.
The Lesson
This story shows that committing fully, staying focused, learning as you go, and putting in the hard work behind the scenes turns doubt into real resilience. Jo got hit, saw stars, but he didn’t go down — he dusted himself off, stuck to his training, and knocked the guy out.
Venture Leadership & Digital Innovation
Driving high-performance results across the Asian landscape, Jo Lodder spearheads market-leading enterprises in luxury real estate and digital design.
"Business is like a race: if you don’t have the right team and the right strategy, you’re just a passenger."
Asia Pacific Ventures
Empowering Beyond
Action Asia Foundation
Jo supports Action Asia Foundation, a charity that helps people with disabilities and students with learning difficulties and challenges across Asia live better lives
THE RIPPLE EFFECT
The Mission
Through adaptive sports and inclusive activities, the charity helps them build self-confidence and self-esteem. During his Run Across China, Jo ran 3,140 km to raise money and awareness for the foundation, showing how sport can give people the chance to shine and overcome obstacles.
MOBILITY
Wheelchair Provision
Supplying wheelchairs individuals, enabling movement and independence.
Adaptive Sports
Empowering through inclusive sporting events designed for all abilities.
Students with Learning Difficulties
Using sport to help build confidence and self-esteme to help with learning
See how purpose powers high-performance leadership.
Global Life Lessons
A Life Across Four Countries
Jo has lived and worked in four different countries: the United Kingdom, France, Spain, and Hong Kong. He has also travelled extensively, learning from cultures and people across the globe. These experiences taught him resilience, adaptability, and motivation.
He learned how to adapt quickly, understand new cultures, and build success in changing environments — skills he now shares with leaders and teams in his keynotes.