run andy run! the finish line is in sight as 1200 mile challenge for andy is nearly complete…
On Wednesday June 11th, Andy Suiter started his incredible 1200-mile run from Land’s End in Cornwall to John o’Groats in Scotland to raise money for the Homeless World Cup Foundation.
He hopes, that today (Tuesday 15th July), just over a month from the start of his epic challenge, he will finish his journey across the United Kingdom.
Starting off in England, crossing into Wales and the final stages in the Scottish Highlands, Andy has experienced heatwaves and storms, freed a trapped lamb, been well looked after by the locals he’s met and ran every day with a smile on his face!
Andy, who is from California, has used national trails as he made his way from south to north across the UK.
Speaking to the Homeless World Cup Foundation as he closes in on the finish line, Andy was tired but also incredibly proud of his effort:
“I’m so close to finishing my journey, it’s been hard but also rewarding - I’ve learnt a lot about myself along the way. I’ve covered some of the most iconic national trails across England, Wales, and Scotland.
“I started at Land’s End on the rugged Southwest Coast Path, crossed into Wales on Offa’s Dyke, climbed into the remote highlands of the Pennine Way through thick mist and rain along Hadrian’s Wall, and now I’m entering the final stretch: the John O’Groats Trail, where I’ll finish at the very tip of Northeast Scotland.
“It's been the most challenging physical and mental endeavour I've ever taken on!
So why is Andy putting himself through this?
“The Homeless World Cup speaks to something deep in me. As one of my professors once said, ‘Don’t ask what’s wrong with them, ask what they’ve been through’.
“I’ve been through my own comeback story. When I was released from professional baseball at 25, I fell into a free-fall, an identity crisis, depression, anxiety. But I found my way with the support of people who believed in me when I couldn’t.
“It created this underlying belief that everyone deserves a comeback, and that no comeback ever happens alone. We need others in our lives to help lift us up, to get us back on our feet, and to help us move forward.
“That’s what the Homeless World Cup does. It lifts people up, people experiencing homelessness, through the power of sport, through team, belonging, discipline, and belief. Over 75% of participants go on to secure stable housing and rebuild their lives.”
