THE loneliness of the long distance runner is over for Mark Allison as he took the last steps on his epic crossing of America.
The ultra athlete was set to cross the finishing line in New York last night after his 3,100-mile journey. And as he hit the tape to cheers from a crowd of well-wishers, Mark, from Shotley Bridge, County Durham, officially became the first Geordie to run from California to New York.
As he embarked on the last scheduled day of his 100-day challenge, Mark showed his determination to reach the line in his allotted time via social networking site Twitter, saying: “I don’t have a day 101 in me. I’m giving it everything I have left today.”
The intense challenge has taken him through 13 states, including Nevada, Arizona, Utah, Colorado, Kansas, Missouri, Illinois, Indiana, finishing in New York.
The 39-year-old has seen some of the country’s most stunning landmarks, including the Mojave Desert, Las Vegas, and the 11,300ft Berthoud Pass in the Colorado Rockies and the “Rocky Steps” at the Philadelphia Museum of Art.
And the father-of-one has faced thunderstorms in Colorado, the debris from tornados in Kansas and raging rivers swollen by meltwater.
On his blog yesterday, Mark said: “Day 100 is under way here in New Jersey.
“Support man Carlton Fletcher has been and is doing an amazing job keeping me motivated and guiding me through a very complicated route.
“Thanks so much to everyone who has made a donation or sent a Tweet. I heard that @rungeordierun briefly trended on Twitter last night. Thanks to everyone for that.
“Once I finish running today there will still be plenty to read.”
Mark, a former IT consultant with Northern Rock, set off from Huntington Beach, near Los Angeles in California, 100 days ago.
Averaging around 30 miles per day – often on lonely highways as his support crew waited ahead – he admits there were dark days when he felt he couldn’t continue.
And even up to just hours from the finishing post, his leg threatened to fail him just an agonising 30 miles from his ultimate goal.
“Ice on knee. Something is not right down there,” he Tweeted yesterday.
The runner has already raised over £52,000 for his chosen charities and was running in memory of his mother Margery, who spent her final days in St Benedict’s Hospice as her battle against cancer came to an end in 1995.
He was also running for his father Terry, who died of cancer in 1988 and his brother David who died from a brain haemorrhage in 1990.
For more information or to make a donation visit: www.rungeordierun.com
