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Some people ran a virtual race over Labor Day, others kicked back with a barbeque and a few cold wines. Katie Spotz, 30, chose instead to run across Maine from the Canadian border down to Belfast, 137.8 miles in total.
A clean water activist who has raised over $270,000 over the past decade, Katie has an adventurous streak and an aptitude for endurance feats. She previously ran 62 miles across NH and 74 miles across VT.
At age 22, she became the youngest person to row across the Atlantic, an ordeal that took 70 days. Labor Day was her biggest endurance challenge to date and, of course, she made it.
Touching on a few aspects of her run, Katie relayed to NER:
“The route took 33 hours total with 31 hours of movement and 5-minute water/fuel stops along the way every 5 miles. The weather was absolutely perfect! It was not too warm or humid, and the night was actually pretty cold, as low as the high 40s! Had some tailwind at certain points, too!
“The end was unreal!There were runners from Eastpoint Church, a local Saturday run group and then new friends, too. I could not believe how many people were there to join in the celebration and support the cause!
“I definitely felt more challenged in this event than any other…I reached my lowest low with only 5-miles to go, and felt like collapsing in the grass right on the spot! But the support of others pushed me through.”
Below is the press release distributed prior to Katie’s run.
HUMANITARIAN AND ENDURANCE ATHLETE TO RUN NONSTOP ACROSS MAINE TO RAISE FUNDS FOR CLEAN WATER PROJECT
Awarded Adventurer and Athlete Katie Spotz Assists Non-Profit Lifewater International to Provide Clean Water In September Fundraising Campaign.
PORTLAND, August 13, 2020 – Katie Spotz, clean water activist and adventurer, will embark on her latest endurance challenge and charity fundraising initiative Run4Water on September 5, 2020. Spotz will run across the entire state of Maine becoming the first person ever to complete the 137-mile journey. The challenge will raise funds for non-profit Lifewater International in their global mission to ensure every child has safe water.
Spotz will begin the journey on September 5, 2020 at the Canadian border, running south until she reaches Belfast, Maine on September 6, 2020 after an anticipated 30-36 hours of running. The 130-mile trip represents 10% of the total distance someone in a village without water travels annually to access a water source, which ultimately is not clean and sanitary.
On June 26, Spotz became the first woman to run 62-miles nonstop across New Hampshire in 11 hours and on August 7, Spotz became the first woman to run 74-miles nonstop across Vermont in 13 hours in preparation for the run across Maine.
Run4Water marks Spotz’s 8th endurance challenge to raise money for clean water projects in developing communities around the world. She rose to the public spotlight during her 2010 campaign Row for Water where she set records by singly rowing across the Atlantic Ocean in 70 days. To date, Spotz’s work has impacted individuals in Haiti, the Dominican Republic, India, Honduras, Guatemala, Nigeria and other global communities.
Spotz has partnered with Lifewater International stating that, “There are hundreds of nonprofits doing great work in the field and yet more than 25% of new water projects fail in just three years. Lifewater creates lasting change by working on a local and regional level and building appropriate safe water solutions. Not only are they delivering physical needs, but spiritual, offering hope and sharing the love of God to the communities they reach.”
“Partners like Katie make this life-changing work possible,” said Gary Weyel, Lifewater Director of Communications. “Because of her efforts, vulnerable families in very remote regions of Tanzania will have clean water, improved health, and hope for the future.”
About Run4Water
To learn more about the campaign, running route, itinerary or express interest in having Spotz talk with your community group, please visit: www.KatieSpotz.com/run4water.
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