dave coligado: a 24 hour indoor ultramarathon
A backdrop of luon pants and colourful sport tanks is pretty inspiring stuff (we think), but fresh air, the great outdoors and moving scenery are what usually keep long distance runners moving. So what exactly is it going to take for one dude humanitarian to complete the ludicrous goal of running 24 hours on an indoor treadmill? Drive.
According to our Chicago run ambassador Dave Coligado, drive resides in all of us. “It’s intrinsic and organic. You just have to find it within yourself and ignite that inner spark,” he says.
Dave would know. Not long ago he was a chain smoker tipping the scale at 310 pounds. His doctor laid it on the line: Dave was on his way to a heart attack and had some tough choices to make. Thirty-minute walks, three times a week, were the first steps in his transition to being a long distance runner.
Then, in 2008, Dave endured the worst 24 hours of his life: father suffered a critical stroke and his brother was in a car accident that left him paralyzed from the waist down. His father lamented that he’d never run a marathon, and the comment—not to mention seeing his family members immobilized—hit home for Dave. He immediately registered for his first running race, and was able to present his first medal to his father two days before he died.
To date, Dave has completed 45 marathons and ultra-marathons. And if you think that sounds crazy, check this out: on Friday, Dave is going to run 100 miles in a 24-hour period on a treadmill inside our Chicago Rush and Walton store.
Dave figures this will be his hardest and toughest run ever. Though he may be used to running that kind of distance, he prefers to do so outside the city, and most certainly outside in general. “Most runners can probably withstand 45 minutes to an hour max on a treadmill; they will always opt to run outside,” he says. “I want to go somewhere that’s mentally and physically challenging and really push the boundaries of what I am capable of as a person.”
Of course, there’s another motivator behind Dave’s seemingly insane goal; he’s running for cleft palate surgeries in developing nations. When he and his girlfriend, a speech pathologist, took a trip to Africa, the number of children who are born with this congenital deformity hit him hard.
“(Most) people have choices,” he says, which hearkens to his decision, a few years ago, to deal with his own health issues. “These kids don’t. The only thing blocking these kids from happiness costs a mere $250.”
Of South East Asian descent himself, Dave is determined to raise $25,000 and personally deliver the funds to a clinic in Bangkok this December so that 100 of these surgeries become a reality. His 24-hour treadmill formula looks like this: six miles on, walk/fuel/hydrate, biology break, and then repeat. At the 25-mile mark, he will change clothes and shoes (if necessary) and keep repeating this cycle until he reaches his goal of 100 miles.
Feeling inspired by Dave to unearth your own drive? Tune in, dig deep, and watch the sparks fly.
Six Chicago stores will support Dave and his goal on November 7. Will you? Get inspired. Run. Give. #100miles100smiles
Wondering what gear he’s counting on to get him through this challenge? Dave chose our men’s Surge Short 5″ and Open Air Singlet. On his feet he’ll alternate between HOKA ONE ONE Clifton and Newton Motion shoes.
Stephanie Florian is a self-proclaimed beach-glam-hippie TV host and adventure junkie who loves ripping up surf, snow and trails in between sweaty yoga sessions and dance parties. Follow her on Twitter and Instagram.
