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Winnipeg Free Press - PRINT EDITION

A marathon a day lets the kids start to play

By: Eva Ferguson

Posted: 12/31/2010 1:00 AM | Comments: 0 (including replies)

CALGARY -- Martin Parnell has run more than 12 million steps this year -- in rain, sleet, and temperatures ranging from a boiling 32 C to a miserable -41 C. But when he completes one final run on Friday, the 55-year-old will have logged more than 10,550 kilometres after running 250 marathons in 365 days.

And the Alberta man still has high spirits as the finish line of the lengthy challenge nears.

Dipping into the Good Earth Cafe in Calgary for some sustenance early Thursday -- midway through his 249th marathon distance of 2010 -- Parnell was red-cheeked as he casually noted: "It's a little nippy out today."

Considering the immensity of his undertaking, the quip is a good indication of unbelievable good humour for someone who's almost finished running five marathon distances -- at 42.2 km apiece -- every week for the past 52 weeks.

Parnell has also almost reached his goal to raise $250,000 for Right to Play, a charity that provides educational opportunities to children in the developing world through sports and play. And it's those kids, living in poverty across Asia, Africa and the Middle East, that he has kept in mind during his lengthy treks. "This has been more tough mentally than it has physically," Parnell says. "But it's the reason why I'm doing this -- for these kids -- that keeps me going."

As his quest comes to an end, Parnell's year has been mixed with emotional and physical highs and lows, running throughout much of southern Alberta as well as marathon races in Boston, Las Vegas, Vancouver and Victoria.

Running with schoolchildren on many days -- a total of 12,000 throughout the year -- kept him positive and upbeat.

As a result, the summer -- which was cold and rainy in Calgary on many days -- was particularly difficult. That bad weather mixed with no cheerful kids running alongside him made marathons long and lonely.

His Friday run will be his last for a while, Parnell says, although he plans to continue a solid, fitness regime, including swimming, cycling and core strength work in the new year.

Parnell has earned just over $185,000 to date -- or about three-quarters of his goal. But he plans to continue fundraising until February, hoping to reach $250,000 through a string of speaking engagements about the challenge.

For more details on the Marathon Quest and Parnell's closely monitored runs, go to www.marathonquest250.com.

-- Postmedia News

Republished from the Winnipeg Free Press print edition December 31, 2010 A16

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