A Kerryman has embarked on a 5,000km coast-to-coast run/cycle across the United States to raise funds for an Irish charity.
Shane Finn, from Dingle, begins a challenge on Friday that is expected to take 36 days and bring the 26-year-old from San Francisco to New York.
Dubbed American Ultra 2019, Finn intends to cycle 270km in each of the first three days before running 60km during each of the next three. That pattern will then be repeated – six times – resulting in 36 consecutive days of physical and mental endurance. No rest days are planned.
Along the way, he’ll pass through states of California, Nevada, Utah, Colorado, Kansas, Missouri, Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Connecticut, and New York.
In 2010, at just 17 years of age, Finn ran the Dingle marathon to raise money for Spina Bifida Hydrocephalus Ireland (SBHI) in honour of his cousin Mary, who lives with spina bifida and hydrocephalus. "Mary's daily struggle inspired me to run my first marathon . . . and to conquer every challenge since," said Finn. In 2014, the Irishman completed 12 marathons in 12 days, raising €36,000 for SBHI. And, in 2017, he finished 24 marathons in 24 days in Ireland, this time raising €142,500.
“What Shane does for the charity, for our services users, and our members is quite simply unbelievable,” said Tom Scott, CEO with SBHI.
The charity target for Finn’s latest challenge is €250,000.
