On most weekends, Isaac Oppenheimer does something few runners can claim. He runs around his entire country.

Distance running is booming globally, with more people chasing long runs, mass participation events selling out, personal challenges filing the media feeds. In the middle of the Pacific, on one of the world’s smallest nations, that same momentum has found an a home. Isaac only began running in late 2023. There was no long-term plan at first, no background in distance events. It started as a Movember challenge. Movember is global movement that sees people grow moustaches or complete fitness challenges to raise awareness for Men’s health.

“My running journey began in November 2023,” he says. “I did a Movember challenge to run 100 kilometres in a month. After doing that, I challenged myself to run around the country, which was a feat I never thought I would be able to do.”

That initial goal was simple and confronting at the same time. Finish the 100km in a month. Then see if the island lap was possible. Once he did both, the next part of his running took shape. Travelling to the Solomon Islands as a spectator at the Pacific Games helped turn curiosity into intent. Watching the 5,000m and 10,000m races live made the pathway feel real. “I witnessed the 10,000m and 5,000m races and it became a goal for me to one day race against the elite Pacific distance athletes,” he says. Now, his long run is as distinctive as it gets. Every weekend, Isaac heads out for a full lap of Nauru. 17.5 kilometres. Coastline, roads, heat, and open ocean never far from view.

“The lap around the country is up there as one of my favourites,” he says. “But definitely the Nauru international airstrip is my favourite. The sunsets are the best on the island and it’s a reasonable distance to run around.” There is no tartan athletics track in Nauru, so the airport has become his training base. The runway doubles as a jumbo-sized oval. Curves are used for interval work. Straight sections for rhythm and control.

“Usually for my track sessions, I treat the airstrip as a jumbo-sized track,” Isaac explains. “At the end of the airstrip, where there’s a curve, I’ll do my sprint or interval sessions so it feels more like a track.” It comes with interruptions. “Sometimes I’ll have to stop my runs or sessions because they close off the road when a plane is landing or taking off,” he says. “It’s really interesting.”

Training in this environment does have limitations, in particular training alone. Motivation has to be self-generated. “The challenges are the lack of necessary facilities,” Isaac says. “I also do most of my training by myself, so it can be a challenge mentally.”

Those constraints have also shaped his strengths.

“It’s allowed me to be innovative with training,” he says. “I usually have to plan how I do a session with what’s available. Training solo gives me flexibility and lets me plan sessions on my own.” Despite being new to the sport, the results have come quickly. Isaac now holds Nauru’s national records in the 1500m, 5,000m and 10,000m, lowering them each time he races. He is also a multiple gold medallist at the Transplant Games.

“I’m hoping I can lower the current records I’ve broken,” he says. “I’m also planning to run a half marathon next year, which is a distance I’ve never raced before. Being quite new to running allows me to explore different races and see which distance suits me best.”

Representing Nauru carries deep personal meaning. Sport runs through his family, and wearing the national colours connects generations. “I’m very proud to represent Nauru every opportunity I’m given,” Isaac says. “It’s a massive honour for me and my family. My mum represented Nauru in netball, and my grandma was a national champion tennis player back in the day.” Distance running is not as popular as the sprints, throws and jumps, which makes each start line significant. “It’s quite rare for Nauruans to run in distance events,” he says. “To be on the starting line representing Nauru against the bigger Pacific nations is a great honour.”

That sense of representation extends beyond competition. Earlier this year, Isaac and his partner helped start the Nauru Milers Run Club, building a running community where one had not existed before. “We thought it could help increase interest in running and promote health and fitness in Nauru,” he says. “We do a run every Wednesday morning at different locations around the island and have welcomed a few new members over the last few months.”

On 1 January 2026, Isaac marked the new year by completing what is believed to be the first run around an entire country that year, circling Nauru on foot to start the calendar. For those watching from afar, the Strava map is something that most wouldn’t see. A lone runner on a runway. An island mapped by GPS lines. A country measured in kilometres.

For Isaac, it all comes back to patience.

“My advice would be to take it slowly and be patient,” he says. “Running is mostly about patience and consistency. Once you get your rhythm going, you’ll enjoy it in no time.”

On an island without a track, with planes landing mid-session and the ocean always nearby, Isaac shows, progress does not depend on perfect conditions. Sometimes, it starts with a challenge, a loop, and the willingness to run wherever the road happens to be.

—ENDS—