Friends and teammates run 109 miles for men's health

Friends and teammates John Sullivan and Kellen Matthews are set to run an epic 109 miles along the Schuylkill River Trail in Pennsylvania all in the name of men’s health.

Team Earn Your Break regularly challenges themselves to extreme fitness challenges to support charity. From a mile of burpee broad jumps to 13 rounds of the infamous “Murph” workout, they are no strangers to going big for a good cause. After looking for an ultramarathon to do, they decided to run one of their favorite trails. But this time, they wanted to run the entire length of the trail from Frackville, PA all the way to Philadelphia, finishing up at the steps of the Philadelphia Art Museum made famous by Rocky Balboa.

This time, however, the challenge isn’t just to set the fastest known time for running the trail. When, but when John found out his uncle Jim was diagnosed with prostate cancer, it became very personal. Jim an accomplished triathlete in his own right, has always been a big supporter of John’s endeavors.

“Finding out that prostate cancer was so close to me changed my perception. My uncle is a strong man who can accomplish damn near any physical feat. It took strength for him to get a precautionary check for prostate cancer and, as a result, they were able to catch it early. He has a high probability of survival because he did not ignore his health.”

For Kellen, the cause is also personal. While he sees Movember as a great way to get involved and give back (and of course rock a glorious moustache), his role model and cousin was affected by testicular cancer. His cousin played a large part of Kellen getting involved in fitness and becoming a runner, and still plays a big role in his life.

While John and Kellen embark on a 109 mile run and their first ultramarathon, they’ll be joined by other teammates and friends who will be there to support them along the way. They are hoping to raise $25,000 for Movember and also to inspire others.

“Taking care of yourself or asking for help are not signs of weakness… they are hallmarks of self-awareness and strength that men should aspire to. If we see someone struggling, we should offer help and resources instead of telling him to 'figure it out.'"

Donate to Team Earn Your Break on their Mo Space.