The 7th and penultimate member of the USA 2025 support team to introduce is Phil. Like all of the other guys on the team, he has gone above and beyond with his support. The team's contribution, especially given that a step has yet to be made across the USA, is never to be taken for granted!
There's always something special about connecting with people all over the world. It's extra special when it's with someone who shares a common culture, interest and philosophy. That's a polite way of saying "football team" really.
To be able to involve ex pats in the project is a very fulfilling thing to do. Those who have fled our shores to build a life elsewhere must feel a bit of a longing for home from time to time. Run Geordie Run as a project has brought so many of those kinds of people together. Usually, the binding factor has been NUFC.com as Phil explains below.
"I’m Phil, an exiled Geordie living in Orange County, California since 1982. As a long-suffering (until March 16 of this year!) Newcastle United supporter, I’ve visited the nufc.com website every day since Al Gore invented the internet and occasionally communicate and have a pint with Biffa. I became aware of Run Geordie Run through nufc.com prior to Mark’s charity run across the United States in 2011.
I’m not much of a runner, actually not a runner at all, but I would have liked to have at least seen him off at Huntington Beach pier, which is only a couple of miles from where I live. As it happened, I was visiting my family in and around Newcastle at the time so wasn’t able to participate at all. Roll on 14 years and what do you know – he’s doing it again, so this time I signed up to be on the support team.
I initially volunteered to be on the support team for 4 days as Mark runs through Death Valley. I’m not sure how, maybe Mark’s Jedi mind tricks, but somehow that morphed into 17 days, from east of Las Vegas to Huntington Beach. But that’s OK!
Death Valley is one of my favorite places in the world, although not necessarily in July, mainly because it’s so completely opposite to my other favorite places, like the Lake District, Northumberland hills and coast, etc. Also, after 43 years living in SoCal, I know Death Valley, the Owens Valley (Jack Nicholson/Chinatown), and the Mojave Desert pretty well.
Just to refresh my memory and to scout overnight locations and resupply stores, I spent two days driving Mark’s route a few weekends ago and thoroughly enjoyed myself. Staggering desert and snow-capped mountain scenery and beautiful warm and sunny weather. It will still be staggering in July but also staggeringly hot!
I’ve not done anything like this before so I’m not really sure what to expect as a member of the support team, but I’m looking forward to helping Mark any way I can and spending time with fellow Geordies/Toon supporters and other team members.
I’m guessing (hoping?) Mark and the support team should have the kinks worked out and be a well-oiled machine by the time I join them.
And of course, Mark is running for a fantastic cause – St. Benedict’s Hospice – which I’m honored to support. Not long to go now.".
Phil will join the tour with Graeme on day 83 (22nd July) at the 2652 mile point in the Moapa Valley, two days to the north east of Las Vegas. The temperatures at that time will likely exceed 100f.
Once we reached the outskirts of Las Vegas on day 85, Deb will leave the tour for the second time. That will see Graeme driving the motorhome and Phil in his own vehicle. Once through Las Vegas, we'll be on our way to Death Valley. Graeme will be supporting from a distance in the motorhome at this point with Phil providing the direct support to me.
We have yet to decide whether Graeme will bring the motorhome into Death Valley National Park or stick with the original plan of sitting tight on the other side in Olancha. Whatever happens, we will be faced with an average requirement of 37.5 miles over the final six days to the finish line at Huntington Beach. Not that there wasn't before but this will be a very busy and challenging time on the tour. High temperatures, high mileage and very long days.
Having Phil's local knowledge and experience has given the run across the USA a massive boost. Thank you to Phil for all he has done so far as well as what is to come on one of the toughest stretches of the USA 2025 route.
