Man runs 100 miles backwards in less than 48 hours for Boys & Girls Club

WILMINGTON, N.C. (WECT) - Whether you donate a bike or ring a bell at the red kettle, plenty of people give back this time of year. Instead of paying it forward, one man goes backward with his charity.

Tracy McCullen ran 100 miles backwards within 48 hours for the Community Boys and Girls Club of Wilmington. McCullen started running on Monday and he didn’t stop until 5 a.m. Tuesday morning. He only allowed himself a 30-minute nap before he was up and running again.

This is the second year McCullen achieved his goal to run the 100 miles. Last year, he did it over a matter of four days rather than two. Each time, though, he’s done it to raise awareness and money for the Boys & Girls Club. The money raised will go towards building what he calls a Track of Optimism and Field of Dreams.

“The space is so magical for the kids,” said McCullen. “It’s a place where kids will be inspired to dream the impossible, working on aligning their passions with a profession and working on their higher purpose in life.”

It’s an accomplishment not many can claim. After taking only a 30-minute break to nap, McCullen said he was tired, but it could have been worse. After all, it only rained 30 of the 48 hours he was out there.

On the final lap, Wilmington Mayor Bill Saffo joined McCullen. He later described how proud he was of McCullen, joking that after only one lap he was already tired.

While McCullen’s run might be over, the effort certainly isn’t. At last check, he had raised $67,122 of his $100,000 goal. Things are moving ahead on the project McCullen hopes to fund. Construction is expected to begin in late 2022 or early 2023 with its doors opening in 2025.

Copyright 2021 WECT. All rights reserved.