Dave Proctor has officially broken the record for the fastest run across Canada. In just 67 days, Dave ran from St. John’s, Newfoundland to Victoria, British Columbia.
Al Howie of Duncan, BC was the previous record holder. He completed the run in 72 days in 1991.
So, how was Proctor able to shatter Duncan’s already impressive record 30 years later?
Dave is an ultra-marathoner. An ultra-marathoner is basically someone who can run any foot race that is longer than about 42 kilometres. Only he ran at least two marathons every day for 67 days.
Dave started his run at the Terry Fox monument in St. John’s. This is the same spot that Fox began his Marathon of Hope in 1980. Like Fox, Proctor was determined to make history.
But Dave didn’t break the record for fastest run across Canada with just his skill.
Proctor also had his family and friends cheering for him. With their support he was able to cover more than 100 kilometres per day.
That’s almost 250 laps around a track.
As if running 100 kilometres per day wasn’t hard enough, Proctor faced many other challenges. For example, Proctor burned through 12 pairs of shoes during his journey.
Someone get this man a Nike sponsorship.
But much like his shoes, Proctor took quite a beating. On day 40 of his journey, Proctor tripped on uneven asphalt. The result was a nasty cut on his face.
Thankfully, his close friend Matt Sheppard was on hand to call 911 and see to Proctor’s injuries.
In total, Proctor ran an impressive 7,159 kilometres. That is apparently five times more than the elevation of Mount Everest. He wore a Coros sport watch, and the team at Coros said his fitness scores were the highest they’d ever seen.
Now that Proctor has made Canadian history, what will he do now? According to the ultra-marathoner, he is most looking forward to coffee in bed.
Aren’t we all, Dave. Aren’t we all.
