78-year-old distance runner begins cross-country run from LA to Washington DC
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78-year-old distance runner set to embark on cross-country run
LOS ANGELES - Veteran distance runner Stan Cottrell is celebrating his 78th birthday by embarking from Los Angeles Pan Pacific Park for 100 days of back-to-back marathons to raise funds for charity before arriving in Washington, D.C.
Cottrell entered the Guinness Book of World Records in 1980 by completing a cross-country run from New York to San Francisco in 48 days. He ran across Europe in 80 days, and ran 2,152 miles in 53 days across China. He says he has run through 40 countries and accumulated more than 266,000 miles in his 63-year career.
By MAY ZHOU in Houston | chinadaily.com.cn | Updated: 2021-05-05 11:39 Share CLOSE Bernard Loeffke with China s swimming national champion in 1980 while serving at the US embassy in Beijing. PHOTO PROVIDED TO CHINA DAILY
Bernard Loeffke, retired US Army major general, motivated by own experiences
While this year marks the 50th anniversary of Ping-Pong Diplomacy, which was started by American and Chinese table tennis players and led to sports and cultural exchanges between the two nations, retired US Army Major General Bernard Loeffke remembers how it was before then.
During the Vietnam War, the 1957 graduate of the US Military Academy at West Point was wounded by Vietnamese forces, who were trained and equipped by Chinese.
/PRNewswire/ The Friendship Sports Association invites media to join celebrity guests, and supporters of 78-year old distance runner, Guinness World Record.
100 Days, 3,000-plus Miles – 78-year-old Guinness World Records Distance Runner to Run from Los Angeles to Washington DC
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Stan Cottrell running
“If I can get up and move at 78, everyone in America can too,” said Cottrell. “We are creating a movement of spreading positivity, kindness, and unity. Everyone, young and old is welcome to join in and run with me for as long as they wish, be it a block, a mile, or more!” LOS ANGELES (PRWEB) April 21, 2021 Uniting America with hope, health and friendship, The Amazing Friendship Run with world-renowned ultra-long-distance runner, Stan Cottrell, is an unparalleled sporting initiative featuring the incredible endurance of one man on a mission to impart positivity, connect communities and encourage greatness in today’s rapidly changing world.