Fun Run, Bergen

Our extraordinary local runner Håkon Gisholt stood ready to begin his marathon. Hundreds of local participants, dancers and sporting groups were excited to perform. The audience had gathered. 60 seconds into the production, the power failed. After a number of attempts to re-instate the power, Fun Run could not proceed.

The City of Bergen’s Agency for Urban Environment has acknowledged responsibility for the outage.

Local newspaper reports HERE

Despite this, the spirit of Fun Run could not be extinguished. In the face of disappointment, we rallied with the community, sharing some of their performances (without sound, video or lighting), proving that the heart of Fun Run lives not in cables and lights, but in people.

We sincerely thank everyone who showed up and believed in Fun Run. We especially honour local marathon runner, Håkon, whose strength and grace in the face of adversity inspired us all. We credit our brilliant artistic team who reimagined the project and we acknowledge Festspillene I Bergen for the opportunity to work with the wonderful community of Bergen. 

Fun Run celebrates community and unity, which in these times is something we need and cherish more than ever. 

When the Greek messenger Pheidippides was sent to Athens to announce the Persians defeat in the battle of Marathon, he ran the entire distance without stopping, burst into the Athenian assembly and died on the spot. Fun Run is his story.

On Saturday 24 May 2025, Fun Run will crash the city square. Athletes, trampolinists, martial artists, cyclists, cheerleaders, drummers and dancers from all over Bergen will flood the stage. Amid this spectacle, one thing remains constant: a runner is on a treadmill, and he is not stopping until he has reached 42.2 kilometres–the distance of the modern marathon.

Fun Run is not merely an homage to Pheidippides, but a riotous performance spectacle that pushes the limits of endurance.

Over five hours, a local Bergen hero (to be announced) will run a non-stop marathon on a treadmill, fuelled by massive visual effects, a booming soundtrack, a silky-voiced MC and riotous performances and cheering crowds.

Fun Run has been presented all around the world, from Ansan to Melbourne, Sydney to Taipei, Darwin to Kuopio – and now it’s time for Bergen to join in this extreme endurance artwork; which is part dance party, part performance piece and part epic community celebration. 

Presented by Bergen International Festival

Fun Run was the most amazing live event that I have ever experienced. It was authentic, entertaining, encouraging and totally empowering! I couldn’t believe so many emotions could come out in just a few hours. I am in awe of what an amazing piece of work has been created and how community-minded it was. Victor, Melbourne 2017 Community Performer

I ran my last marathon five years ago, and was never going to run again – but when you get the opportunity to do it in Bergen, at Torgallmenningen – it can’t get any bigger. It’s a once in a lifetime experience, says Håkon Gisholt.

The blind policeman from Hop becomes the main character in the wild, free outdoor performance Fun Run , Saturday, May 24th.

Håkon Gisholt worked as a police officer in Oslo for 34 years, but started his career as a trainee in Bergen. He was first in the police department, but the day after a fierce car chase he discovered that he had begun to lose his sight, and that he would eventually go blind.  

– I have been very lucky anyway, an incredible amount of positive things have happened in my life as a result of having this disease. One of those things is that I am here at the Norwegian Festival, says Gisholt. 

The positive and cheerful Gisholt has a straight back and towers well over 1.90 meters above the ground. His clean-shaven head is lightly tanned, indicating a lot of time spent outdoors.  

Gisholt grew up in an active family in Hop. His parents took the children out into nature, picking berries in the spring and skiing in the winter. When he and his brother discovered orienteering at the age of 12, they were hooked, and spent all their free time trying to become the best they could be. Later, it was the military, then the police academy. But even for a man who is healthy to the core, as he calls himself, a marathon is always challenging. 

– It’s an awfully long distance, no matter how you look at it. No matter how well trained you are, you get tired and your body hurts when you’ve passed 30 kilometers, Gisholt says about the distance. 

Nevertheless, Gisholt has run around 15 marathons. The most recent was in New Delhi, where he finished in 4 hours and 20 minutes, which he himself calls “a nice time.” 

– When I was young, time was the most important thing, but over time the experience and the setting around the marathon have become the big thing. And the setting that comes in Bergen also beats the New York Marathon, laughs Gisholt.  

A couple of years after the illness occurred, Gisholt joined a training environment for people with functional variations. One day they had the idea of ​​trying to get drug addicts to accompany them on mountain hikes. The idea developed, and today is the Win-Win project : a unique collaboration between the visually impaired and drug addicts in treatment, by the RP Association and the Tyrili Foundation. 

– It has become my favorite in recent years, we have had more than 300 addicts, who have been hard to work with in this collaboration. They have accompanied us on mountain hikes, on Birken, military races, rafting – pretty tough things. There has been a lot of coping for both groups and not least many new, good friends, says Gisholt.  

Gisholt has written a book about perhaps the most unconventional duo of friends who came from Vinn-Vinn, and NRK made a documentary about it, Police and Robbers .  

Tommy Johansen was for many years a heavily burdened drug addict, who was at the top of the Oslo police’s list of criminal offenders, the so-called VIC list (Very Important Criminals). Johansen became Gisholt’s companion, and in doing so found a new meaning that helped him get out of drugs and crime. 

He is today Gisholt’s constant companion, best friend, and was best man at his wedding. 

– The people we pass on the street and hardly want to talk to, hardly want to look at, are actually huge resources for people if they are shown trust – and drug-free people are great people and you have to give them a real chance, Gisholt says about the experiences from the project. 

As Gisholt now trains to get into marathon shape, he follows a training program with training partners from Vinn-Vinn, and his regular running companion Kjersti Skudal.  

Skudal has run in places with Gisholt, where only a year earlier she would have rushed. The change is enormous, and today Skudal joins in on jogs and ski runs, ensuring that Gisholt has a clear path and is guided past obstacles. 

– When Kjersti and I run together, we have a white stick as an anchor between us, she holds one end and I hold the other, so she guides me around obstacles that way, says Gisholt. 

Between strength training and endurance tests, Gisholt also mentally trains himself to run on stage in his hometown. 

– The mental part, standing in front of so many people, even if I can’t see them, I’m a little nervous about that, Gisholt smiles.

The story from Vinn-Vinn, about people supporting each other and cheering each other on during tough times, is also reflected in the performance Fun Run . In the grand outdoor event, the audience is invited to cheer on the marathon runner, lift and support the person, and share the experience and participate in the community that is created along the way. 

Join us and cheer on Håkon Gisholt, and experience the crazy free event Fun Run at Torgallmenningen on Saturday, May 24th from 6:00 PM.

Learn the short and fun Fun Run dance, and join the flashmob on May 24th!

The Fun Run event celebrates the first marathon runner in history, Pheidippides, who was sent to Athens to announce the defeat of the Persians at the Battle of Marathon. In this edition in Bergen on Saturday, May 24, Håkon Gisholt will run a marathon on a treadmill on stage at Torgallmenningen. You can join in the cheering, and there will be plenty of entertainment along the way.

Learn the dance below, or join free workshops at Hildemors Dance Center on May 19th and 21st.

All The Queens Men presenters and creators

Tristan Meecham, Bec Reid creator, producer, community liaison

Willoh Weiland event director

Luke Smiles sound design, sound technician

Nick Roux video design, video technician

Anna Pidgeon production manager

Tristan Meecham host

Bec Reid, and others dancers

Håkon Gisholt runner

NN performer