My Dad Terry (pictured below) used to say that you should always have a plan B just in case plan A doesn't work out. That has generally been the case on any major run I've ever done with deviations to routes here and tweaks to plans there. That is certainly true right now. He was a very wise man was my Dad and his various proverbs, stories (not all true but valued nevertheless) and general philosophy on life are with me every day in many things that I do. It's fair to say, that despite his sad passing in 1988, he remains a huge influence on me and I believe Run Geordie Run and all it stands for is rooted in that. Anyway, more on that another time.
Continuing the run around the world in light of the pandemic and then subsequently the war in Ukraine means that my plan A of running the next stage from Kiev to Astana via Russia is just not possible right now. I've not given up on doing that when it's safe to do so however!
I've had my current plan B in my mind for just over a year now. It's such a tough challenge that it's going to take the best part of 22 months to plan, prepare and fundraise for it.
I'm very happy to reveal to you exactly what my plans are. At the time of this blog post going live, I will have just finished talking about it live on BBC Radio Newcastle's breakfast show. Below is an extract from the press release that was sent out today that explains it all.
‘Run Geordie Run’ is the nickname given to Mark Allison, a volunteer fundraiser from Bedlington in the North East of England. He has a huge heart for raising money for good causes and a good pair of running shoes!
So far, he has ran 10,000 miles in various places around the world. This includes running 874 miles from John O’Groats to Lands End, 3100 miles across the USA, 2384 miles across Australia and 3661 miles across Europe.
Thanks to some amazing generosity, £350,000 has been raised so far for St. Benedict's Hospice, The Children's Foundation, The Sir Bobby Robson Foundation and Useful Vision.
Next up is “ACROSS THE USA 2025” which is a 3100 mile Atlantic to Pacific, trans continental run across the United States of America from Coney Island, New York to Huntington Beach, California to be ran during the summer of 2025.
In theory it’s a simple plan - Run from the east coast to the west coast of the USA in 100 days. This will require Mark to run an average of 31 miles every day giving a total of 3100 miles (4988 km). The route runs from east to west across the USA through 14 states. The start line will be at the Pat Auletta Steeplechase Pier at Coney Island, New York with a finish line at the pier in Huntington Beach, California.
In between, will be miles of relentless climbing over the Appalachian, Rocky, San Juan and Sierra Nevada mountain ranges, the seemingly never ending highways of the Great Plains as well as the solitude of Monument Valley. If that wasn’t difficult enough, the 130 mile stretch through Death Valley adds an even greater challenge both physically and logistically.
Mark has already secured a main sponsor for the run across the USA 2025. Chapman Ventilation, a long term supporter of Mark’s events, will be contributing towards the cost of the tour. They said “Chapman Ventilation are delighted to continue supporting Mark for the 12th year now. Mark has raised a phenomenal amount of money for charities close to his heart and we are very excited to see him take on his next challenge, running across America. We all wish Mark the best of luck with his training and will be following his progress very closely.”
Mark will seek additional commercial sponsors over the coming months.
Mark is also seeking the support of 25 individuals, companies or workplaces who will “promise to donate” £1000 to St. Benedict's Hospice. This will be known collectively as the “Promise Fund”. The Promise Fund will only become payable to St. Benedict's Hospice when all commercial sponsors have been found. The Promise Fund has been created to raise a considerable sum for St. Benedict's Hospice prior to the event.
Award winning personal trainer, David Fairlamb, will be helping Mark prepare physically for the challenge. David said “The knowledge and experience gained from Mark’s previous epic runs will be crucial to the success of USA 2025. I’m really proud to play a part in his preparation.”.
So there we go! Now that the secret is out, there'll be plenty more info to come in the coming days. That includes:
- How to apply to join the USA 2025 support team
- A detailed look at the route across the USA
- What it will take just to get to the start line
- Thoughts on training and preparation
If you can't wait until then and you're interested in becoming a sponsor or can offer support then please click on the image below to view the sponsorship prospectus.
In the meantime, you can watch more coverage on USA 2025 on local news bulletins on BBC One with a main feature on Look North at 1830 (BST).
