He芒鈧劉s crossed Canada with nothing but a red superhero costume and a push cart of supplies.
And since Winnipeg, an excruciatingly painful bone spur.
But Jamie McDonald, a tennis teacher from England, is about to finish a cross Canada journey to raise awareness and funds for children芒鈧劉s hospitals in Canada and children芒鈧劉s health charities in the United Kingdom.
The total stands at about $120,000 (learn more at www.jamiemcdonald.org).
On his trip in 91原创, he was thrilled to see people along the route.
芒鈧揟oday every kilometre there was a family out on the side of the road thanking me for doing what I芒鈧劉m doing,芒鈧� McDonald said. 芒鈧揟hey told me their kids have been following the journey for months [online].芒鈧�
After running a marathon Saturday, which he芒鈧劉s basically done every day since setting out on his journey last March, McDonald plans to depart 91原创 around 10 a.m. Sunday morning.
He芒鈧劉ll head along Fraser Highway west towards the Pacific Ocean where he will dip his hand in, as he dipped it in the Atlantic in Newfoundland when beginning this trek.
On Saturday for the run from Abbotsford to 91原创, the 27-year-old was joined by his father. His dad and a friend flew in from England to be here for the wrap up.
McDonald will make a stop at B.C. Children芒鈧劉s Hospital on Monday. Then he芒鈧劉ll run to the Terry Fox monument at English Bay on Feb. 3. The estimated schedule is on his website.
芒鈧揂nd we芒鈧劉d like people to join us there,芒鈧� he said.
After a few days rest in Vancouver, he will head to Vancouver Island and Mile Zero.
The 91原创 Advance caught up with McDonald at the Coast Hotel and Convention Centre which was providing him with likely the most comfortable accommodation on his trip.
His push cart includes a large white tarp which often served as his 芒鈧渉otel芒鈧劉. When he wasn芒鈧劉t camping in the rough alongside the road, he was invited into people芒鈧劉s homes.
芒鈧揑 feel like I芒鈧劉ve been taken in,芒鈧� he said of the welcome he芒鈧劉s received throughout this adventure.
There was one very public negative incident. In Banff, he was beaten and robbed, most notably of his camera which he was using to document the trip.
芒鈧揑t was one negative incident out of 10,000 amazing experiences across Canada,芒鈧� he said.
When it was covered by the national media, it brought attention to his endeavours and the return of what was stolen.
芒鈧揑t felt like it angered people,芒鈧� he said. 芒鈧揟he fundraising went up.芒鈧�
McDonald had never been to Canada before he decided to come here. Initially it was going to be as a backpacking tourist.
Then he found a desire to do what he calls adventure fundraising.
He started March 9, 2013, in Newfoundland.
芒鈧揑deally I was going to finish before winter set in,芒鈧� McDonald said.
Well, plans didn芒鈧劉t go as expected. There was an extra jaunt on Ontario to visit a children芒鈧劉s hospital and raise funds, and other delays.
So he got to experience a Canadian winter one kilometre at a time.
Basic math shows he will have done more than 200 marathons by the time he芒鈧劉s done. And it芒鈧劉s all been done in the same red Flash superhero costume.
McDonald said it芒鈧劉s been a small sacrifice to help others.
Before this, he cycled from Bangkok to Gloucester, his home. And then promptly did a exercise bike marathon to set a world record.
His desire to help stems from his childhood when he was in and out of hospital a lot with a spinal condition called syringomyelia.
