Toronto Uncovered

How many people do you know who would run 4492 kms from Toronto to Vancouver for a good cause? I am happy to say that I know at least one.  I met Torontonian Pedro Lopes about a month ago, and was instantly inspired and intrigued by his plans to run across the country to raise money for charity and pursuit of a personal challenge.  He plans to leave Toronto on August 30th, running North along Yonge Street until he reaches his first checkpoint in Barrie. From Barrie he will head west into Manitoba, Saskatchewan and finally BC.  Pedro’s goal is to arrive in Vancouver within fifty to sixty days from his departure date (that’s 70-80 kms each day!) but admits he will be at the mercy of his body and mother nature.

I met up with Pedro  over a pitcher of sangria last night to get some last minute answers:

Q: Which charities are you raising funds for?

A: I will be giving a portion of funds raised to Spread The Net, an international relief effort to provide malaria nets to individuals in Africa. $10.00 buys a net and directly saves lives.  On a local level, I am raising money for a non-profit I hope to start called Message Causing Motion, which will focus on engaging ourselves to be our best and challenge the world around us. I hope to spread awareness and generate campaigns that shine a spotlight on relevant and topical issues for our generation.

Q: What inspired you to run across Canada?

A: I have always been one for the flare of extremes and dramatics. I knew that this was something I wanted and needed to do at this stage in my life. It allows me to challenge myself mentally and physically more than ever before.

Q: What preparation have you taken so far?

A: How can you really prepare for something like this? I feel like the previous 26 years is my preparation: mind, body and soul.

Pedro plans to reach certain checkpoints each day and will have a GPS following his exact location. He has a few sponsors on board at this stage, many of which are friends or fans of his determination. He has yet to reach out to media but plans to contact local media and bloggers along his journey. Pedro will also have a camera with him throughout his run to document key moments and experiences.  A website, blog and Twitter account will be up and running by September 10th (which I will post here as well). PayPal and a mailing address will be set up on his site to facilitate support and donations.

It always amazes me how many inspirational and outright amazing people we have living within the confines of our city. If you want further information or to contact Pedro let me know.