“As long as I can put one foot in front of the other and run to raise funds for St. Benedict’s Hospice I will do so” is a phrase I’ve both spoken and written many times over the past 31 years.
At 4.30pm on 11th July 2025 I felt that I could no longer do that. It had taken almost 13,000 miles since I started running to raise funds for the hospice for my feet to say “no more” and “enough is enough”.
DAMAGED FEET
This current coast to coast run across the USA is far more difficult than I could have ever possibly imagined. Trust me when I say that “I can imagine quite a bit”.
I never thought that the run across Australia, back in 2013, would be beaten for difficulty. It absolutely has, without a shadow of a doubt. Not for the reasons I envisaged however.
When I started this run across the USA on May 1st 2025, things were going as well as could be expected. I was on track with the daily mileage. As soon as I hit the Appalachian Mountains in Pennsylvania things started to go from bad to worse where my feet were concerned.
The superficial damage to my feet was just about treatable by day 7. I say “just about” but it would have been enough for me to reasonably stop there and then.
Given the damage to my feet, every day I said to myself “I have no right to be able to continue to move forward across the USA”.
While progress was being made, it wasn’t at the rate that I’d planned for. On average, I was losing 5.5 miles every day. While I was supposed to be running 32 miles I was able to achieve 26.5. Over time, that added up to an insurmountable mileage deficit.
I had planned to overcome the deficit by extending the run by 12 days. Without having a support team and the expiry of the RV rental, that would have meant that Donna (my wife) would fly to the USA for the final stages and we would live out of a rental car. That’s the approach that was taken in Australia back in 2013.
As much as the mileage deficit was insurmountable by day 72 it became very obvious to me that the issues with my feet were too. And then some.
It was incredibly frustrating that ankles and above I was in good shape. I had a really good “engine”, no aches or pains and somehow had remained injury free. If only I could say the same for my feet.
THE SUPPORT TEAM
With the help of the support team, I was able to continue far longer than could be expected. It’s only right that I pay tribute to them at this point. They, like me, are unpaid volunteers. They have travelled to and from the USA at their own expense, often showing a huge degree of flexibility as I fell behind on the mileage.
Although not a single member of the support team admitted to me, they have often had to endure horrendous conditions. Living in an RV, particularly one that doesn’t function properly (we had no flushing toilet or shower at various points during the first 30 days!) is far from easy.
We have endured torrential storms where water was pouring in to our living quarters. The searing heat has also had to be contended with. Imagine, sitting in an RV at 40 Celsius, waiting for me to catch up, day in and day out. There is also the responsibility of cooking, cleaning and maintaining the RV. I’ve never done the job myself but it looks far from easy and is a huge responsibility to put on someone. That is not lost on me. I have the upmost amount of respect and gratitude to all of the team who have supported this run. To Deb, Carlton, John, Alan and Thomas I say “thank you”. I would not have managed to get 1866 miles across the USA without your incredible support.
I must also thank Steve, Phil and Graeme who were due to join the team in the latter stages. I hold your contribution as highly as those who did manage to support on the ground.
There have been many times where I have felt undeserving of their support and sacrifice.
To say that the support team have gone above and beyond the call of duty is an absolute understatement.
DONNA
I’m writing this on the 11th anniversary of my marriage to Donna. No one has shown more unwavering support and sacrifice for my fundraising journey than my wife. She has been supportive and critical when absolutely needed. She has picked me up when I’m down and brought me back down to earth whenever it was necessary more times than I care to remember.
Donna is my rock, my guiding light and, after Órlaith our golden retriever, the love of my life. I have always thought of her as the Adrian to my Rocky or the Jenny to my Forrest Gump.
It’s so true that behind every great man is an even greater woman.
THE FINAL DAY
So back to those final moments on day 72. I had spent all day hobbling along the very barren Highway 10. I’d nicknamed it “sunflower road” due to the flowers of the same name that lined the road side. That’s very significant due to the sunflower being emblematic of St. Benedict’s Hospice. I felt like I had roadside support watching over me. In my mind, each flower represented someone who had been cared for at the hospice. There were thousands of sunflowers that day.
At mile 23, I could see the RV in the distance. It was pulled over at the side of the road. I was due to meet Deb there for some pasta. Within seconds, and for the first time on any event I’ve ever done, I admitted I was beaten. I could go no further given the state of my feet.
I made it to the RV and told Deb about my decision. In the heat of battle, I’m always wary of making a knee jerk decision. This felt very different to that. Deb and I talked it through. She was happy to support whatever decision or plan I had. Like the rest of the team, her support was unwavering.
My decision was final. For the first time in almost 13,000 miles I decided to put the health of my feet first. It’s probably something that I should have done after the run across Australia in 2013. I’m glad that I didn’t and that an additional £170,000 has been raised for good causes since then. And still counting.
THANK YOU
There is a long list of people to thank over and above those mentioned here. I will cover that on rungeordierun.com over the coming weeks. Yes, it will take that long over a number of articles.
WHAT NEXT?
Despite all that I’ve said, this run has a little way to go yet. On Sunday 13th July (my birthday) I shall be running the final mile of the Run Geordie Run chapter of my fundraising journey.
It is wholly appropriate that I do this in a place of great significance to me and my story.
In 1994, when my Mam was receiving treatment for lung cancer, I watched a movie that would go on to influence all of my fundraising activities. That movie was, of course, Forrest Gump.
My final mile will therefore be in Monument Valley. I will start running at sunrise one mile north of Forrest Gump point. The end point will be where the fictional character, played by Tom Hanks, decided to end his epic run.
That end point in itself is significant on many levels for me personally.
In the movie, Forrest then returns home and lives a happy life with his Jenny. That is exactly what I intend to do.
Since the death of my Dad and Mam in 1988 and 1995 respectively, I have spent a lot of time looking back. Now is the time to look forward.
It has been an incredible journey. The support shown to the charities I’ve raised funds for from all parts the world has been something I’ll be forever grateful for.
If you have been one of those kind people, thank you. I’ll speak more about that generosity in the weeks ahead on rungeordierun.com.
If you would like to join that group of kind people, in aid of St. Benedict’s Hospice, then please visit
https://www.justgiving.com/page/rungeordierun2025
For now, please watch out to see how the journey ends on Sunday July 13th around midday across all Run Geordie Run social media platforms.
