Q&A: Halifax ultra-marathoner runs across Canada in 99 days
Ryan Keeping inspired by Terry Fox's Marathon of Hope
A Halifax ultra-marathoner recently completed running across Canada in 99 days, beginning in St. John's and ending in Victoria.
Along the way, Ryan Keeping ran 7,325 kilometres and raised more than $240,000 on GoFundMe — with 80 per cent of it going to the Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada and the rest covering his costs.
CBC Radio's Mainstreet interviewed Keeping on Tuesday, 48 hours after he finished the run. He said he was inspired by Terry Fox — the Canadian who famously decided to run across the country to raise money for cancer research — and a family history of heart disease.
This interview has been edited for length and clarity.
How are you feeling after running for 99 days?
I feel amazing. Physically, of course, you're a little bit sore, maybe. But yeah, mentally, I'm incredibly happy and I'm very proud of what me and my team was able to accomplish.
What motivated you to run across Canada?
I've kind of alway been obsessed with pushing limits, especially physical limits.... I was alway inspired by Terry Fox. My dad always told me the most important thing in life is to always try your best.
When I got into running, I would always think about Terry Fox when I would go out for runs. I went down to the U.S. to do my first ultra-marathon and I wore a Terry Fox shirt. And I was kind of surprised because a lot of people there didn't know who he was.
Obviously in Canada, Terry is a hero — but other places in the world, they might not know who he is. I was always making videos of running, so I thought I should run across the country and promote Terry Fox as the greatest Canadian of all time. That's where the plan came from. There was about a year, a year and a half of training … and then we set off on the crazy journey.
Why did you decide to raise money for the Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada?
I was thinking Terry Fox. OK, what was Terry's reason? It was cancer because it affected him. And then I started thinking about my life. I started looking at everyone around me, like my dad, my grandfather, my uncles, my brother, my sister, so many members of my family — they all have heart disease. So I thought that would make a perfect why.
My dad was with me the whole time. He has hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, which is a heart condition. And I know my grandfathers both came out at one point. They both have heart conditions. It was really awesome to have them with me and raise money for a really great cause.
What are some of the most memorable moments from the run?
I would have to say probably all the big cities. So what I'd do if I was approaching the big city — I ran 75 kilometres every day — but what I'd do is I'd run 70 and then I'd pick a park or something in a big city. So I would go in [the park] and then I'd do a five-kilometre group run.
In Toronto, we had upwards of 1,000 people running with me on the streets. It was crazy. Or, like, Montreal, there was a couple hundred. Same with Vancouver. I think we had like over 500 or 600 in Calgary. So yeah, that would probably have to be my favourite part would be the massive group runs where you could really just see all the support.
Online, it's one thing to get all these messages, but when you see hundreds and hundreds of people together, man, that gives you so much motivation to keep going. It's incredible.
Were there any points in the run where you struggled with motivation?
Never. No. I like to say I have supreme self-confidence and anything I go to take on, I'm always going to have a positive attitude. Of course there are days when you wake up and you're a little bit stiff and a little bit sore. But no, the thought of not finishing never crossed my mind — especially when you dedicate a run to Terry Fox and to your father, there is no way I would ever stop.
On days when you felt like running was going to be extra tough, what got you through?
You think about why you're doing it and when I'm getting hundreds of messages a day and I see kids coming out with signs and I'm high-fiving people coming down the highway out running with me — every single day I had people out running with me, there wasn't really any steps I took alone. That's a motivation right there.
When you go do these big runs or anything in life really, there are high points and low points. When I'm at a low point and I don't feel good, I almost get excited because I know that's going to pass and there's going to be a high point. If you keep moving forward toward your end goal, that's how you're going to be happy.
Say I'm having a hard day, I know the next day is going to be better. And when I finish, I know how proud I'm going to be. I just try to move forward, kind of like a robot.
With files from CBC Radio's Mainstreet