EUGENE, Ore. (KMTR) -- After 102 days and 4,800 miles of running and biking, ultra-endurance athlete Jason Lester has arrived in TrackTown USA.
Leaving New York City on March 19, the 38-year-old ran 1,000 miles and biked 3,800 miles down through the Southeast, across Texas on quiet country roads and up through California, ending his adventure passing Pre's Rock and then the Nike Running Eugene store at Oakway Center Wednesday around 5 PM.
A crowd gathered Thursday when Lester arrived and some ran the last mile with him. Together, they finished the ordeal. Lester essentially ran the distance of 38 marathons for the first 1,000 miles from New York to Oregon.
Lester ran/biked advocating Nike's Journey for a Better World campaign. He stopped at 39 Nike retail stores along the way, sharing how sport inspires hope, teaches discipline, grows confidence and brings communities together - that obstacles can be overcome and that sports are accessible to everyone, even those with disabilities.
At the age of 12, Lester was hit by a car; the accident left his right arm paralyzed. Lester made it through a difficult recovery and went on to participate in numerous competitions, including the 2004 Ironman World Championships. He later became the first disabled athlete to complete the Ultraman World Championships. Lester founded the Never Stop Foundation in 2007 as a way to show children that sometimes all it takes is creative thinking to turn dreams into reality.
While the cross-country odyssey brought various challenges and hardship but along the way, people from all over joined Lester in his quest. Others followed him on Twitter, Facebook and via his website. Lester finally arrived at his destination and met with fans and other runners at Nike Running Eugene and hosted a formal question-and-answer session about the Journey for a Better World campaign.
Lester was scheduled to run a victory lap around Hayward Field Thursday afternoon. His plans to return to New York have not yet been released.
