Thijs de Buck, a physicist from the Netherlands and proud owner of a hamster named Mollie, is amazed by Mollie’s running prowess, which has garnered significant attention in the running community. Despite de Buck’s own marathon training efforts, Mollie’s nightly runs on a hamster wheel have outshone his achievements on the popular running app Strava.
Mollie, with his adorable appearance and remarkable running abilities, averages 10 kilometers per night on his hamster wheel, with a personal best of 11.15 kilometers. De Buck humorously laments that Mollie’s performance surpasses his own, with the hamster clocking nearly 70 kilometers a week, a distance many marathon trainees would strive to reach.
To track Mollie’s running data, de Buck devised a speed and distance monitoring system using a magnet to measure each rotation of the hamster wheel. By recording this information and uploading it to Strava, Mollie has gained a following for his nightly runs.
The project not only reflects de Buck’s passion for running but also his love for Mollie. By combining these interests, he has uncovered the mystery of Mollie’s nightly activities and shared it with the world. The hamster’s stats are updated daily, revealing his impressive running routine, which mirrors the behavior of wild hamsters in Europe and Asia.
De Buck is surprised by the overwhelming response to Mollie’s running feats, as the hamster has even been featured in publications like Runner’s World. He attributes Mollie’s popularity to the fascination people have with running, pets, and innovative projects.