Our CoFounder, Sam, Just Ran Across America In The Name of Our Ocean
Shortly after graduating college, our cofounder 22-year-old Sam Bencheghib, took the extreme challenge of running over 3,000 miles across the USA. He started his run on July 26th, 2019, in Battery Park in New York City by the Atlantic Ocean and just completed his run this Saturday, February 1st, 2020, after jumping into the Pacific Ocean.
His epic journey lasted just over 6 months, where he averaged 20 to 30 miles a day. Sam began running in the scorching heat in the middle of the summer through the urban streets of New Jersey, went on to the green rolling hills of Pennsylvania, and then through the Midwest, corn as far as the eye can see. He pushed through and ran passed the plains of Kansas before reaching the Colorado Rockies, where temperatures reached negative -30 degrees Celsius and experienced snow storms and strong winds. South-bound to avoid the cold, Sam ran along the northern border of New Mexico, through the Navajo Nation and into the desert of Arizona before making it across his final and 13th state, California.
There were a lot of extreme physical challenges along Sam’s journey, from the soreness to the tightness in his back and joints, to the blisters and the injuries, his 6 month journey was not easy. But despite the obstacles along the way, it was Sam’s main mission to bring the oceans to landlocked America that motivated him and pushed him to continue to run day in and day out.
📷Devin L’Amoreaux
“It’s hard to put into words what finishing this 3055 mile journey across America and jumping into the Pacific Ocean feels like. It definitely wasn’t easy to get there but despite all the obstacles along the way, physically, mentally and emotionally, it was a life changing experience that I will carry with me for the rest of my life,” says Sam Bencheghib.
Before jumping into the Pacific, Sam was accompanied by a group of over 70 runners for his last 3 mile, which included his brother and sister (the other two thirds of Make A Change), the LA Adidas Runners community, and college friends and supporters who had flown-in specifically to witness his grand finale.
After speaking and engaging with over 8,000 people face-to-face along his journey, from students, small town mayors, business owners, to state governors, there was a lot to learn about the plastic industry in this country, the lobbying behind it.
"Unfortunately, I witnessed a huge lack of awareness, education and action when it comes to plastic. I have seen the worst of the worst by kayaking down the world’s most polluted river 3 years ago, the Citarum River, and I felt like this country is not that far behind. I ran through the most desolate parts of this country and no matter where I was, sometimes 150 miles away from the nearest city, I would still see plastic everywhere I ran,” says Sam Bencheghib.
Now, 3055 miles later, Sam can finally say that he “ran across America.” It definitely was not easy to get there but we are beyond proud of him for taking on this life-changing experience.
For the oceans!