Day 74 of the run across the USA 2025 (PINNED POST)

The overnight stop at Mexican Hat, Utah made for a very uncomfortable sleep. The temperature didn’t cool down until around 0230. That was my cue to get some sleep before the 0515 alarm. 

I noticed a single solitary star in the sky. I had also done last week on the Sunflower Road. I didn’t mention the significance of it in my blog. My Mam had left me a letter to read after she died. Part of it read “if you look up to the night sky and see a single solitary star, then you’ll know I’m watching over you”. If you believe in that type of thing or not, I found it very comforting. 

We set off at 0545 on the short journey to a mile away from Forrest Gump Point. The sun was just about rising behind me as I set off on the “final mile”. There was barely a sound to be heard. It felt so peaceful out there on the road. 

 

I spoke to Donna briefly to tell her that I’d started. Then, unplanned, I spoke to camera via a Facebook Live session. That lasted until the signal cut out and I switched to my iPhone camera instead. 

The mile flew by and I could that famous stretch of road being unveiled by the rising sun. It was like the curtain raising at a theatre. 

As you can tell from the video below I was very happy with the ultimate outcome of my running/fundraising exploits. 

In what felt like the blink of an eye, I reached the end of the “final mile” at Forrest Gump point. My feet ached even after that short distance. 

My socials said “I think I’ll go home now. Almost 13,000 miles of running ends here. As it was meant to be.” 

All throughout the final mile I felt at peace. I have the closure to my grief that I’ve spent many years and tens of thousands of miles searching for. As mad as it may sound, I would not have wanted any other outcome to this tour than the one I got today. 

There is no regret or disappointment in me at all. There is simply gratitude and pride at a job well done.  

The response on social media and the amount of donations made soon after I finished was incredible. At the time of writing (21:13 in a hotel in Las Vegas. It’s a long story which I’ll cover later this week) £25,766 has been raised for St. Benedict’s Hospice. I’m aware of some pledges in the pipeline too so it won’t stay at that amount for much longer. 

The mile served as the perfect birthday present. I later chuckled at a card that was sent to me by Donna.  

The coverage on NUFC.com helped massively to boost the funds for St. Benedict’s Hospice. 

The money raised for various charities including St. Benedict’s Hospice via Run Geordie Run is quite something. The generosity and kindness shown is very difficult to comprehend. 

These numbers will continue to grow in the future. I just need to figure out how in due course. 

It’s important not to think of these numbers in terms of pure pounds and pence. It’s the difference that money can make to a charity such as St. Benedict’s Hospice that’s hugely important. 

I’m one of many volunteer fundraisers. Together we are making a significant difference to the lives of terminally ill people and their families. If you’ve supported my fundraising efforts then you should feel very much as proud as I do right now. 

If you haven’t yet got round to making a donation then please visit:

https://www.justgiving.com/page/rungeordierun2025. 

There will be more to write about in the coming days, weeks and months so please tune in to the blog and socials. 

In the meantime, it’s good night from an air-conditioned hotel room in Las Vegas. The RV is parked outside in the middle of an extreme heat warning. The air con is set to 67. I’m blumming freezing! 

TUNE OF THE DAY: Forrest Gump Suite - Alan Silvestri

USA 2025 - 10 days later

It’s been 10 days since I finished running at Forrest Gump Point in Utah. I’m pleased to report that the tingling in my feet is getting less and less intense each day. The picture is the remaining damage on my left foot (Sorry! I've made the image as small as possible).

I’m also very relieved to have had my first proper night of sleep last night. Up to now, I still seem to have been on Pacific Time. Being wide awake at 3am has been no fun at all this last week. I'm still waking up with a bit of confusion as to where the RV is or how far I have to run today. To have last last more than a day or two is new to this campaign. The sense of relief that follows is really nice though.

Back to home matters and I’ve been having a lot of fun with Órlaith. These are precious moments that I didn’t dare think about while pounding the roads in the USA. 

Donna and I had a bit of talk about events in the USA last night. Many aspects were discussed and it was really good to reflect. I’m still of the opinion that it was the toughest running/hobbling that I’ve ever done. USA 2011 was l about performance and had a large team to support that. At its worst that run was 176 miles behind schedule. With 4 days to go there was a deficit of 73 miles. I was subject to a huge amount of panic and anxiety. 

I ran 195 miles over the last 4 days. That was made up of 3 x 45 miles days and a 60 miler on the final day. The money poured in to St. Benedict's Hospice and The Children's Foundation. As the saying goes, "It was the best of times, it was the worst of times". 

Australia 2013 was extremely tough and saw my feet disintegrate. I was able to compete that run by adding 12 days to the schedule. It was quite a small but very capable team back then. I had a sports therapist on the team which helped massively. From a mental health point of view, nothing will ever beat Australia. I lost my mind back then. Lessons were learned that took into future runs and even USA 2025 benefitted from that. 

Europe 2016 was another one that was about performance and a large team supported it. My feet were in a bad way after 3 weeks. However, having a podiatrist on the team was massively important. Looking back, the miles I ran there together with the elevation, was mind blowing. 

I made a mockery of the mountains in the Pyrenees and the Alps some days. That run had strategically placed rest days. That made a huge difference. That run was cut short by 600!miles. That was due to losing the finish line in Istanbul (remember the attempted military coup of 2016??). The finish line became Belgrade, Serbia. I didn’t realise at the time but that setup the next run perfectly. 

In 2018, I didn’t have a support team. Instead, I pulled my buggy behind me from Belgrade, through Romania, to Kiev, Ukraine. After USA 2011, it was the most lucrative run I’d done with £59,041.50 raised for St. Benedict’s Hospice. I had problems with my feet again on this run. Thankfully, a kind lady in Kalush, Ukraine was able to patch them up. This was good enough to get me to the finish line at Independence Square, Kiev. 

If all of the other runs were about performance then USA 2025 was not that. This run was different. It was about raw, unshakable determination. It was about getting up every morning, no matter how broken or tired, and putting one foot in front of the other. It was about showing up for St. Benedict’s Hospice, for the people I cared about, and for the promise I made to myself to keep going no matter what and repay a profoundly felt debt of gratitude. USA 2025 wasn’t a race. It was a test of the human spirit. 

The overwhelmingly positive reaction to this years run and the way it ended has really surprised me. I’ve received emails, messages and comments that prove to me that people have really bought into my journey. I hesitate to use the word “enjoyed” but there is evidence of that that too. It must have been hard to follow at times. 

The most pleasing thing is the amount of money that is being raised for St. Benedict's Hospice. At the time of writing, the total is £30,167.04. I’ll be seeking donations right up until the end of 2025 so the final total won’t be known for some time yet. 

The common theme amongst all of the runs from 2011 is the support of my, now main sponsor, Chapman Ventilation. I had intended to make the run across the USA in 2011 my final event. It cost £15,000 of my own money to do. Given that £105,717.80 was raised for charity, it was well worth it. Up to that point £157,351.80 had been raised since I started fundraising in 1993. Thanks to the kind backing of Chapman Ventilation, I've been able to attract a further £218,585.68 of public donations since then. The latest position is below. If you've made a contribution to the money donated below, THANK YOU!!!!!

If you haven’t got round to sponsoring this years effort across the USA then please visit justgiving.com/page/rungeordierun2025.

USA 2025 - Fundraising Milestone

The run across the USA may have ended 8 days ago at Forrest Gump point but the donations to St. Benedict's Hospice are still coming in. The charity fund has now smashed through the £30,000 barrier with over £6,000 donated since the run finished. That’s some absolutely incredible kindness and generosity. 

Thank you, once again, to everybody who has visited justgiving.com/page/rungeordierun2025 and made a donation. If you haven’t got round to making a donation then it’s never too late to show your support to St. Benedict’s Hospice when it’s needed most.

USA 2025 - 7 days later

It’s been a week since my running came to an end at Forrest Gump point in Monument Valley, Utah. Over £6400 has been kindly donated to St. Benedict’s Hospice since then. The fund is well on the way to another major milestone. There’s more on that below. 

I’m pleased to report that the swelling in both of my feet has gone right down. That’s thanks mainly to having them put up for the best part of the last 2 days. I can now fit into a regular pair of running shoes again. 

With my tingling feet, I managed to go around the block with Órlaith this morning. That’s some good progress. I do wonder what she makes of my nearly 3 month absence. Thankfully, we’ve picked up from where we left off as if nothing had happened. 

The thing I’m struggling with is sleep. That’s not a problem I usually have in regular life. I think I’m still on LA time! I was awake for 21 hours yesterday before I finally fell asleep around 0500 today. I’m sure that will return to normal next week. At least I hope it does.

I’m still waking up with a brief state of confusion. Where do I have to run today? Where is the RV? Why is someone in my bed? Whose dog is that? It’s hilarious really. It’s something that’s usually happened the day after I finish a big event. The day after I finished running across the USA in 2011, for example, is a classic story. One for another time.

Further kind donations yesterday saw the charity fund for St. Benedict's Hospice get closer to £30,000. The current total is £29,797.04. That has attracted around £5000 in Gift Aid which is a component of my fundraising that I never take into account. I think Gift Aid is around the £50,000 mark since the very start in 1993.

One of the kind donations today was from Deputy Sheila Gonzales who you may remember I met on day 66. I was in a right state of emotions when the lovely dog, which she named Brownie, followed me on a dangerous busy road. 

Thanks Deputy Sheila for your very kind donation today. Thanks also for finding out what the dog’s real name is too. If you’d like to find out then the answer is over at https://www.justgiving.com/page/rungeordierun2025.

In other news, I’ve dropped further weight since I got back from the USA. I’m very conscious of not putting weight back on as has been the case in the past. So far so good but it’s very early days. 

I’ll be back in the gym next week for some very light work. Some walks with Órlaith will help me get my steps in too. My legs have never been so thin. I feel like I’ve lost a lot of power. 1000 watts on the bike is probably a long way off. 

That’s all for today. Thanks again to everyone who has made a donation to St. Benedict’s Hospice. If you’ve enjoyed the blogs, the live updates or been inspired by the journey then please consider donating at https://www.justgiving.com/page/rungeordierun2025.

USA 2025 - 6 days later

The good news is that I had 7 hours of sleep last night. The bad news is that I was awake and hungry for 4 hours from midnight to 0400. Once again, I woke up confused and wondering where the RV was or what time my flight was. That’s all standard stuff and has happened after every trans continental run I’ve ever done. 

The brilliant news is that there were further donations over night as I slept. Thanks again to everyone who has donated. 3.8 million steps across 1843 miles and 74 days was all worthwhile as the charity total approaches £30,000.

In other news, I got weighed this morning on a body composition monitor. I’ve lost 20kg (44 pounds or 3 stones and 2 pounds) since leaving for the USA in April. There is a lot of work to do here to lose further weight and regain some of the lean weight that I’ve lost. I’m in a good place with it so far but have to be very careful not too put the weight back on. 

My feet are showing some signs of recovery. The swelling has gone right down and the external damage is healing. 

I’ll be attempting to take Órlaith for a walk today. I’m not too steady on my feet yet so the slightest incline is difficult. I’m not quite used to the stairs in the house either. Thankfully, all of that is temporary.

A funny one from yesterday - I was just having a tactical snooze (albeit for 3 hours) when I was woken up by a familiar sound. I thought I was back in Kansas for a moment. Opposite the bedroom window was the farmer going about his work. You couldn’t make it up! 

USA 2025 - Back Home

It’s beyond wonderful to be back on home soil. Last night, I arrived at Newcastle Airport right on time after some great flights with British Airways.

I was greeted by support man Calrton inside the terminal. Waiting outside were Donna and Órlaith (pictured below). I'll let you decide who was the more excited to see each other.

I suddenly have a wardrobe that fits me again! The challenge now is to continue to get fitter and recover well. I’ve lost a lot of lean weight so I’ll be working on that over the coming months. I doubt there will be running involved. 

I’ve got another 4 weeks off before I return to work. I could have gone back sooner but I’m in a period of unpaid leave and need to see that out. I’m only then at my current job for 2 weeks. While I was in the USA, my previous employer asked if I would be interested in returning. So I’m going back to Virgin Money in September. I’m hugely excited about that as I have a lot of friends there. I’m equally as sad at leaving my current job as I work with some great people. 

In terms of fundraising, I remain committed to raising as much as I possibly can for St. Benedict's Hospice. How I now do that is going to take some working out. My immediate focus is spending some quality time with Donna and Órlaith. Oh and I don’t own a pair of trainers either. I’d best buy a pair. I left my last pair in California. They were rotten!

Thanks to those kind folk who have donated and continue to do so. Over £29,000 has been raised so far for St. Benedict’s Hospice during this campaign. The support has been immense. If you’d like to make a donation then there is still time to do so at https://www.justgiving.com/page/rungeordierun2025.

USA 2025 - Goodbye

A huge thank you goes to Jane and Phil Miller for taking such great care of me in their lovely home at Costa Mesa. What a fantastic end to a horrendously tough few months. That’s just what I needed. They simply could not have done enough for me.

Thanks also to all the kind folk who have supported St. Benedict’s Hospice via https://www.justgiving.com/page/rungeordierun2025. I’m so grateful that donations continue to be made. 

 I’m now at LAX ready to begin the long journey home.

USA 2025 - Packing up

Today I shall be packing and travelling home. It’s been quite an adventure with so many kind people encountered along the way. 

I awoke this morning to the charity fund for St. Benedict’s Hospice smashing through £28,000. That’s quite incredible. It’s just showing no signs of slowing down. 

Just when I think “that’ll be the last donation now” another load are made and then I repeat that. I’ve been doing so all week. 

Thanks to everyone who has made a donation to https://www.justgiving.com/page/rungeordierun2025 in aid of St. Benedict's Hospice. It’s a significant amount of money that is much needed and put to good use for the benefit of terminally ill people and their families.

USA 2025 - A great night of celebration

A brilliant night was had with some great people at Matter of Craft in Huntington Beach. It was great to see so many canny folk turn up to celebrate a tough run across the USA. It was all arranged at such short notice too.

The first photo below is at the start of the run across the USA in 2011. Underneath are almost the same people (1 daughter missing) 14 years later (tonight). I found that absolutely mind blowing. Thanks to Nick and his family for some great company.

Nick ran the first 4 miles back with me in 2011. He took one look at me and my weight and doubted that I'd ever make it out of California never mind Coney Island, New York 100 days later. 

Thanks also to the manager of Matter of Craft (pictured below) for promising to donate 20% of our food order to St. Benedict's Hospice. 

There were Geordie exiles and US NUFC supporters in attendance. That's Phil Nick, Anthony, Will and Wayne pictured below.

Annie (picture below) turned up with her husband Will having just completed a run "in my honour". It was nice not to be the one sweating buckets for once.

It was great to see Nick's wife Cathy again. They looked after me before the run across the USA in 2011. Last year they completed a family trans continental road trip across the USA in the same make RV that I've just been in. Nick said that he'd "do it again in a heartbeat". I think I'd rather take Chappy (my buggy) next time.

Now living in Huntington Beach, Anne and Norm (below) are from Sunderland originally. They are such lovely people. Sadly, Anne's brother Michael passed away in St. Benedict's Hospice a few years ago.

So as you can probably tell, a great night was had by all. It was obvious to me, if it wasn't already, that the run across the USA means a lot of things to a lot of people. To be shown such considerable kindness and generosity was the start of my recovery. I would call it the perfect antidote to a cruelly painful few months.

USA 2025 - 2 days later

A quick update from Newport Beach, California. I’m being well looked after by Geordie exile Phil and his wife Jane. I managed 8.5 hours sleep last night in a lovely comfy bed. That’s a tour record I believe. 3.5 more hours than the average over the last 76 days. Bliss!

It’s still quite painful to walk around. The exterior damage to my feet is showing some signs of recovery thankfully. The real pain will come tomorrow evening and into Thursday when I fly home and my feet (and internal pockets of fluid) swell. 

The charity fund for St. Benedict's Hospice is showing no signs of slowing down thanks to some incredible generosity. It makes my foot pain absolutely worthwhile seeing the money being donated. 

If you have donated then THANK YOU. I’ll get round to thanking you properly (if contact details have been left in Justgiving) when I return to the UK. If you haven’t yet donated and would like to to so then please visit https://www.justgiving.com/page/rungeordierun2025. St. Benedict’s Hospice are in desperate need of our support. The services that they provide to terminally ill people and their families is so important.