Whenever Jamie McDonald feels like giving up, knowing that someone has been there before keeps him going.
McDonald, from Gloucester, England, has been running alone across Canada since the end of March for several charities including SickKids. As the terrain gets more and more demanding, McDonald said it can sometimes wear him down.
"Physically I'm feeling very conditioned but mentally I'm starting to deteriorate," McDonald said after arriving in Thunder Bay.
But on his toughest days he remembers Terry Fox and his will returns.
"That really got me through it," he said as the Terry Fox monument and a huge crowd of people stood behind him.
Those people also help in a big way. Dressed in superhero costumes, like McDonald who has been wearing a Flash suit on his journey, Thunder Bay showed him the most support he's seen so far.
"It's moments like these that are memories that help me through," he said.
After spending nearly nine years in and out of hospitals as a child, McDonald wanted to be an inspiration for others like him. So he hopped on his bike last year and rode 12,000 miles from Bangkok, Thailand to his hometown.
Not even an avid runner before heading out from St. John's Newfoundland on this most recent journey, McDonald is looking to raise $40,000 by the time he reaches Vancouver.
"I want to show people that we're capable of anything," he said. "People need inspiration in their lives and hopefully I can provide that."
He'll spend the next week in Thunder Bay before continuing on. McDonald needs to reach Vancouver by Dec. 18 when his visa expires.
For more information or to donate, visit his website.
