A runner who has run every single day since the start of 2022 is nearing the finish line of his own Forrest Gump challenge. Chris Hemsley will reach his goal on Saturday March 15th when his incredible daily running streak reaches 3 years, 2 months and 14 days.
This is same running streak achieved by his fictional hero Forrest Gump, played by Tom Hanks in the famous 1994 film which saw him run across America five times.
Chris, who works as a sports store assistant and social run group leader at the INOV8 Forge Store in Staveley, started his challenge on January 1st, 2022.
The dad-of-one said: “It all started with the intention of doing RED January (running every day during the month). I wanted to build base fitness so I could then train up for an attempt at the 66-mile Bob Graham Round over 42 peaks here in the Lake District. Then it got out of hand!
“I made it my quest to emulate my running hero, Forrest Gump, by running a lot of consecutive days. He ran for 3 years, 2 months 14 days (and 16 hours) and I’m close to completing that now. It’s been hard, especially on days when I’ve been unwell, but I’ve kept the streak going.
“I average about 35 miles per week, depending on family commitments. I also have the most incredibly patient and supportive partner imaginable.”
Saturday’s final run of the challenge is set to follow a route around Kendal, where Chris does most of his training. A fell and ultramarathon runner, he is a member of local club Helm Hill Runners and has completed a solo Bob Graham Round in under 24 hours.
Asked what’ll he do when Saturday’s final run is completed, he said: “Let’s just say I’m looking forward to a rest!”
Anna Woodall, INOV8 store operations manager, said: “Chris has inspired us all throughout his personal challenge and it’s been brilliant to follow his progress daily.
“He’s been uploading all his runs to the tracking app Strava, where me and others follow him. There’s been days when it’s got late and I’ve not seen a run uploaded, and I’ve messaged him asking if he’s ok, worried that the streak might have ended. It’s always just been a case of a delayed upload or him going for a late-night run.”
