I got 3000 miles to go now...and my feet are hurtin' mighty bad

May 29, 2012 10:26 AM

Jamie Summerlin is running across America. He started in Sunset Bay, OR on March 26th. He'll finish on July 4th in Annapolis, MD. Right now, he's somewhere in Missouri. If you're doing the math, it will take him 100 days to go from coast to coast. If you're still doing the math, you'll realize the former Marine is running more than a marathon a day for 100 straight days for Wounded Warriors. News coverage here, here and here.
posted by tallthinone (23 comments total)

I was going to say he walks the walk, but that is obviously an understatement. It's awesome to see someone decide to make a difference then go out and do it- really inspiring. Thanks for the post!
posted by Mooski at 10:37 AM on May 29, 2012

I ran a 5K once, so I'm not sweating it.

OK, actually, I cheated at the end. But I'm still not sweating it.

Ok, fine, I'm sweating it.
posted by kbanas at 10:41 AM on May 29, 2012

Running a marathon a day for 100 days is ridiculously hard. Good on him for embarking on this challenge and the best of luck to him. Perhaps next year he can sign up for the 52 day long Sri Chinmoy Self-Transcendence 3100 Mile Race (about 60 miles/day).
posted by (Arsenio) Hall and (Warren) Oates at 10:42 AM on May 29, 2012

I've only been running for about 2 years. Needed to lose some weight and discovered that I enjoyed running. As AHWO says, it is ridiculously hard. I ran a half-marathon last October and did it in 2:20:18. I trained properly and finished in fine form, but I still had sore muscles and aches for the week after. I cannot imagine what it takes to do this to your body for 100 days straight. Love your body folks, it's a beautiful machine.
posted by Fizz at 10:45 AM on May 29, 2012

I think it's a noble effort and above all a personal challenge hard to equal but I've started to get awareness fatigue as it applies to people coming up with new and contrasting ideas on how to bring attention to their current interest.

Can't we just self-monetize out Like buttons and let go of this need to achieve internet fame?
posted by jsavimbi at 10:46 AM on May 29, 2012

I remember thinking Eddie Izzard was nuts/amazing when he did 43 marathons in 51 days. This guy is the very definition of what I think of when I hear the word hero.
posted by BigHeartedGuy at 10:59 AM on May 29, 2012 [1 favorite]

Running a marathon a day for 100 days is ridiculously hard.

First reaction: very incredulous. Is it physically possible?

Is there a record of a human accomplishing anything remotely close to such a feat?
posted by stroke_count at 11:01 AM on May 29, 2012

Tom Hanks' movies aside.
posted by stroke_count at 11:03 AM on May 29, 2012

stroke_count: Terry Fox managed it (with one leg) for over 100 days before succumbing to his cancer.
posted by dripdripdrop at 11:11 AM on May 29, 2012 [6 favorites]

Is there a record of a human accomplishing anything remotely close to such a feat?

Dean Karnazes did 50 in 50 and afterwards ran from NYC to Missouri, and Sam Thompson (according to the same article) did 51 in 50. I don't know if you consider it "close," but I think 100 in 100 in physically possible.
posted by bread-eater at 11:13 AM on May 29, 2012

First reaction: very incredulous. Is it physically possible?

Yes.

A Buddhist priest dubbed the marathon monk has completed a seven-year ancient running ritual in the remote Japanese mountains.

The run in the Hiei mountains, a range of five peaks that rise above the ancient capital of Kyot, covered a distance equivalent to a trip round the globe, said an official at Enryakuji Hoshuin, guardian temple of the gruelling tradition..

The 44-year-old monk, Genshin Fujinami, returned on Thursday from his 1,000-day, 40,000-kilometre spiritual journey. ...
http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2003/09/19/1063625225647.html

Kaihōgyō
posted by sebastienbailard at 11:13 AM on May 29, 2012 [1 favorite]

My reaction to these things is always that this is indeed tough, but I'm not sure it's possible to top Terry Fox. Not that that's the goal here.

Everyone should watch the Fox documentary Into the Wind.

Good luck Summerlin.
posted by GuyZero at 11:22 AM on May 29, 2012 [1 favorite]

Larry Macon, a 67-year-old attorney, ran 113 marathons in 2011. That's not one a day, but I think he may be in Guinness for it.
posted by the sobsister at 11:27 AM on May 29, 2012

Why is he stopping at Annapolis (on the Chesapeake) and not at the Atlantic Ocean?
posted by The 10th Regiment of Foot at 11:40 AM on May 29, 2012

Dover, Deleware has a military presence and is on the actual coast.
posted by The 10th Regiment of Foot at 11:48 AM on May 29, 2012

Tape those nips, y'all.
posted by Divine_Wino at 12:21 PM on May 29, 2012

I remember thinking Eddie Izzard was nuts/amazing when he did 43 marathons in 51 days. This guy is the very definition of what I think of when I hear the word hero.

Just last week:

Eddie Izzard Halts Marathon Tribute To Nelson Mandela

Comedian Eddie Izzard has been forced to put his latest running challenge, a tribute to Nelson Mandela, on hold.

He had hoped to complete 27 marathons in 27 consecutive days, in honour of the 27 years the former South African President spent in prison.

However Izzard has called a temporary halt to the challenge after completing just four marathons.

In a message on his Facebook page, the comedian blamed "unforeseen medical complications".

He said "severe terrain, humidity and altitude" were among a "multitude" of factors.

Izzard, 50, still hopes to complete the challenge, which is being filmed for a documentary to be broadcast this autumn.

posted by ericb at 12:50 PM on May 29, 2012

Dover, Deleware has a military presence and is on the actual coast.
posted by The 10th Regiment of Foot

Yes, but if you take a look at the maps of his route, he's running to the Naval Academy in Annapolis, which makes perfect sense for a Marine.
posted by blaneyphoto at 2:03 PM on May 29, 2012

I don't want to be a curmudgeon because this is obviously still really hard, but are people realizing that this is not at marathon pace (his training page shows 11+ minute miles, which is only slightly faster than a brisk walk)? My boy scout troop used to do a 40 mile race with a bunch of middle-school kids with no training whatsoever, and many people finished easily (though many also dropped out).

Repetitive stress injuries and losing your freaking mind in Kansas are bigger obstacles here than the daily distance, assuming you've trained at all.
posted by Dr.Enormous at 3:02 PM on May 29, 2012

The pages on ultra marathoners are pretty amazing. There's one race in particular that goes from the abyss of Death Valley to about halfway up the side of Mount Whitney. My pain threshold is way way too low to even imagine trying to train for something like that.
posted by bukvich at 4:18 PM on May 29, 2012

Came in here to mention Terry Fox, who was (at the risk of sounding trite) a true Canadian hero. Got beaten to the punch, am happy to have been.
posted by stavrosthewonderchicken at 5:10 PM on May 29, 2012 [1 favorite]

I don't want to be a curmudgeon because this is obviously still really hard, but are people realizing that this is not at marathon pace (his training page shows 11+ minute miles, which is only slightly faster than a brisk walk)?

Which is why there are thousands of examples of people undertaking similar challenges.

It's the 100 of them which is the thing. if you can track down the Eddie Izzard documentary it's fascinating. The relentlessness of it all is the difficult part, the lack of rest starts to really take its toll on the body after a couple of weeks, but there's still months to go...

So not a curmudgeon, just sort of wrong.
posted by fullerine at 2:14 AM on May 30, 2012

The amazing thing about Eddie Izzard's achievement is that he did it in heels.
posted by srboisvert at 4:11 AM on May 30, 2012