What are you doing? I am attempting an 18,000km solo run from Vancouver to Buenos Aires to raise funds and awareness for three great charities – CALM (suicide prevention), Macmillan (cancer care) and WaterAid (clean water provision). Each day I try to run about 40km – currently my running day average is 42.1km, agonisingly close to a marathon (42.2km).
As this is a solo expedition, it’s more than just running – I have to take all my own kit too. I push a Thule Cheetah 1 in front of me, full of all my equipment including food, water, tent and cooking equipment. It weighs in at about 40kg. As I am reliant on my running speed, it’s hard to have concrete plans about where and when you will be at any particular time, so logistics change on a daily basis.
Why are you doing it? A lot of people ask why I am undertaking such a ridiculous adventure and the answer is pretty simple. I have worked in an office for 12 years. It felt to me like the window of opportunity to go and explore the world on foot was closing. I love running, always have, and will do it as long as my body allows me. Running through countries gives you a special insight, one that I think you lose in a car or on a bus.
Is this a first? I get asked that a lot and I don’t really care. It doesn’t change what I get out of the experience, and I will still raise lots of money for charity. I think it’s more important to do something because you want to, rather than trying to get into a record book. That said, I think I am the first 35-year-old British chap to do it …
How many pairs of shoes will you wear out? So far I have worn through six pairs of running shoes. I try to buy new ones every 1,000km, but that can be a little tricky when you are in the middle of nowhere. On one occasion I actually bought a pair of shoes in a coffee shop in Guerrero Negro, Baja California. Shoe sponsors, alas, are hard to come by and the logistics would be very complicated. Nike has very kindly provided me with three new pairs of trainers that should get me to Panama City, though.
Don’t you suffer from lots of injuries? When you speak to people about running they all seem to have injury woes. Of course injuries have crept in, but these have been few and far between. The body is an amazing piece of equipment and is forgiving if you give it the right care.
How many calories do you burn a day, and how do you refuel? Every time someone meets me they assume I am a highly tuned athlete with a strict nutritional plan. This couldn’t be further from the truth. I do understand the importance of good nutrition, and when I can I do try to be healthy, but on the road it is very difficult. This is especially true in countries such as Mexico, when the food on offer is often very sugar based. On a normal running day I probably burn about 5-6,000 calories. Where possible I refuel on meat, fruit, vegetables and nuts, but biscuits, cookies, sodas and beer do quite often top up the calorie count. I have actually put on fat while in Mexico!
Do you get compared to Forrest Gump? Yes I do and to be honest I encourage it! I haven’t shaved since I left Vancouver in August and I run wearing a Bubba Gump Shrimp cap. I love that “for no particular reason” Forrest decided to go for a run. He wasn’t trying to set records or do a first – he just wanted to run. While I would love to raise as much money has possible the main motivator is that I love running.
How do you get to the church on time? While I was running through America my little sister, Melissa, got engaged. Her and her fiance set the date for 27 June in France. I was in Acapulco, Mexico, when I had to sort my travel plans, and trying to coordinate a single flight within an 18-month expedition is quite tricky as there are so many factors to take into consideration. In the end I booked a flight from Panama City back to Europe. This left me with a new enormous challenge ahead of me. In order to catch my flight on 19 June I would need to run over 3,000km and in just over three months, and cross Mexico, Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador, Nicaragua, Costa Rica and Panama. I have heard lots of stories about people travelling huge distances to get to weddings, but I think this takes the biscuit. I am pleased to report that I am currently on track!
Who is your inspiration? The great thing about growing up in the UK is that you are surrounded by the most amazingly ambitious adventurers. I recently tried to compile a list of current British explorers (the list) and it just continues to grow. Following these expeditions has played a huge part in me actually getting off my backside. But in general I am just inspired by anyone who knows what they want and is prepared to take a risk to achieve it. We can’t all be runners or mountaineers but that doesn’t mean we can’t do something extraordinary. If your actions can in turn inspire someone else then that is even better.
What advice would you give to other runners? Make running fun. A lot of people see running as a necessity, and trudge round the same park day-in day-out or plod along on a treadmill. No matter where you are there is the opportunity for an adventure. Get on a tube or train and run home from different places, find places you’ve never been and explore. If your mind is focusing on getting home then you won’t even notice the run.
Follow Jamie’s progress at jamieisrunning.com and on twitter at @jamieisrunning
You can donate at uk.virginmoneygiving.com
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