ARLINGTON, Va. — It's day nine of distance runner Mike Wardian's newest and most intense challenge. He's on Highway 50 in central Nevada, he's run just shy of fifty-two miles and climbed 3,400 feet.
He reports to his followers on Facebook that he "felt good and bad today but mostly good."
Not since the fictional Forrest Gump's epic run back and forth across America has a U.S. athlete tackled such a bold mission.
There was a guy who recreated Forrest Gump's 15,000+ mile run, but he's British. So, does it really count? (Joking! HERE is his story.)
Mike Wardian is one of the most accomplished ultra-marathon runners in the world. He's won multiple championships in races 50 miles and longer. He ran across Israel in 10 days. He also ran seven marathons on seven continents in seven days.
In 2020, he outdueled a fellow from the Czech Republic to win the 'Quarantine Backyard Ultra', running 263 miles in 63 hours.
Wardian also ran the 90-mile distance around the Capital Beltway in 2019 in 96-degree heat.
"I saw Forrest Gump and I said that looks amazing I would love to do that someday. But I really didn't have the fitness yet," said Wardian.
On May 1 at 48 years old, Wardian briefly dipped his foot into the Pacific Ocean, stepped off a San Francisco beach and stepped into his biggest challenge yet and a lifelong dream.
"I've been working toward this my entire life. I feel like all the miles I've put in, all the experiences I've had have gotten me ready to go. So now, it's go time and I just have to go out there and execute," said Wardian when we met up outside his Arlington, Virginia home on the day before he flew to California.
Wardian is using the run to raise funds and awareness for World Vision, a group that's focused on ensuring clean water gets to impoverished children and families across the globe.
On day 9, Wardian has helped to raise $21,700 of his $100,000 goal.
Wardian expects to complete his cross-country adventure in 65 days or less. However, a big part of that has to do with the cooperation of Maryland authorities. The finish line for Wardian rests in Rehoboth Beach, Delaware. The most direct route would take him across the Route 50 Chesapeake Bay Bridge just east of Annapolis, Maryland.
Unfortunately, there are no sidewalks on the nearly five-mile bridge and pedestrians are prohibited on the span. Wardian is hopeful the Governor or Maryland transportation leaders might allow him to cross with an escort in the middle of the night as he reaches closer to his goal.
Going the 'long way' north to Elkton, Maryland and then turning back south for Rehoboth would add at least 60 miles to his trek.
He hasn't ruled out swimming the 4.4 miles across the Chesapeake Bay.
Wardian is hoping to set foot in the Atlantic Ocean around the 4th of July holiday weekend.
"Most people who do it (trans-continental run), they quit their job and their life," said Wardian. "I've worked at the same brokerage for twenty-five years and I have a wife and kids. I'm coaching people. So I didn't know how to make this work. Eventually, I figured out how to make it work and I think I've kind of done that now."
In April, Wardian participated in an ultra-marathon event in Sri Lanka, ran in Ecuador and the Galapagos Islands and then paced a para-athlete across the finish line of the Boston Marathon.
He promised to take a few days of rest before heading west and beginning the run.
I asked him to participate in a lightning round of questions as we ran around his neighborhood.
"What pace will you be running at," I asked.
"Anywhere between eight and fifteen minutes per mile," he replied.
"How many miles a day will you run?"
"Fifty miles per day," he responded.
"How many pairs of shoes will you burn through?"
"That's actually a bet, so I don't know if I can give the amount of shoes. There's an over/under of twenty if anyone wants to play along," he said.
"What are you most looking forward to?"
"I'm most excited about meeting people," he said.
"What's the thing you're most afraid of?"
"Cars," he replied.
Wardian sketched out 62 anticipated segments for the run, the shortest is 42.5 miles and the longest is 63.5.
He'll climb a total of 123,000 feet which is more than four times Mount Everest in Nepal, the world's tallest mountain. He'll consume anywhere between 5,000 to 10,000 calories per day.
Wardian has sought out advice from other ultra marathon runners and his two biggest takeaways were to take care of his feet and go slower than you think you need to.
You can follow Mike's run and donate to World Vision HERE.
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