This is a little bit more than just a turkey trot -- a footwear designer is drawing on the impact of dealing with a childhood disease for inspiration as he runs 154 miles across the state of Massachusetts this weekend.
David Filar, 33, is running from the New York/Massachusetts border, across the length of the Bay State, ending this Monday in Boston's Seaport.
"Love the discovery aspect of how far we can push our bodies, our minds, our emotions and that's what this is about for me personally," he said.
This isn't just some bid to run off a Thanksgiving feast; Filar is doing it all for a good cause.
As a kid, Filar was in and out of hospitals with Crohn's disease, so this run that starts Friday is about helping other kids in the hospital.
Filar has teamed up with UMass Memorial Children's Center to ensure every kid in the hospital gets a new gift this holiday season.
"Any child that has to reside in a hospital during the holidays, if we can give them a gift, and bring them a smile in a time when they have to be pulled away from their families, I think that's worthwhile," he said.
Filar feels like he is ready. He has run at least a 5K every day for the last 300+ days and is logging 70-80 miles a week. His plan is to do 40 miles a day, with friends and family joining him for stretches along the way.
"There is so much that all of us can do more in this life with, and I want to be a light towards that, a positive light," he said.
Filar is taking the step to help others and ensuring this Thanksgiving weekend is about giving thanks -- one mile at a time.
