Skip to content

B.C. man runs 100 miles on treadmill in garage to raise money for Search and Rescue

Chilliwack’s Gary Robbins is spending the weekend running 100 miles uphill while collecting donations
21371240_web1_200425-CPL-100-miles-treadmill-fundraiser_1
Gary Robbins is running 100 miles uphill on a treadmill today from his own Chilliwack garage. (Linda Barton-Robbins)

A Chilliwack man is running, walking and climbing 100 miles uphill today and it’s all happening right in his own garage.

Gary Robbins has been going continuously on a treadmill since 9 a.m. this morning (Saturday, April 25) in an attempt to raise $5,000 for B.C. Search and Rescue (BCSAR).

“It’s going to be a long day. It’s hot in here, I’m sweating profusely,” he said as his wife, Linda Barton-Robbins, checked in on him at the three-hour mark on Saturday.

At that point, he was 16 miles in at an elevation gain of 4,100 feet, and had already raised $6,200 for BCSAR.

“This is going to be boring as all hell. I promise it’ll be worse than watching paint dry,” Robbins said the day before the event in a YouTube video.

But he is suggesting people tune in to the live streaming video because “there’s not a lot else to do right now.”

Yesterday he asked viewers to guess how long it would take him to complete the 100-mile trea

dmill run. People guessed anywhere from 17 hours to more than 30 hours.

Robbins stepped on the treadmill at 9 a.m. this morning. Every hour, his wife checks on him and gives the viewers an update of how far he’s run, how high he’s climbed and how much money he’s raised.

Despite the title of his live video “100 Miles on a treadmill non-stop, with 30,000 feet of climbing,” he will be taking a few breaks, his wife confirmed.

“He’ll absolutely stop for washroom breaks and to change shoes or clothing. He’ll sit down for some food as well,” Barton-Robbins said.

Robbins has never run on a treadmill for more than two hours consecutively before. Typically, you’ll find him doing trail runs, hiking, gravel riding, mountain biking and backcountry skiing, so this is something totally new for him.

“This will be a very difficult challenge for me,” Robbins said Friday.

During the fundraiser, people can win some of the many prizes he’s giving away including entries to races, shoes, backpacks and more.

To keep himself entertained, he’s planning on watching Game of Thrones, since he’s never before seen an episode.

Tune in to his YouTube channel to watch him live, and for a chance to win prizes.

To donate, go to trailseries.ca/supportsar. One hundred per cent of donations go to BCSAR.

RELATED: Be safe while using the outdoors for social distancing, B.C. search and rescue group urges


 

Do you have something to add to this story, or something else we should report on?
Email: jenna.hauck@theprogress.com
Twitter: @PhotoJennalism

Like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter.



Jenna Hauck

About the Author: Jenna Hauck

I started my career at The Chilliwack Progress in 2000 as a photojournalist.
Read more