Stratford’s Chris Dixon is set to push himself to the absolute limit by attempting to break the Guinness World Record for the longest distance covered on a treadmill in seven days.
The gruelling endurance challenge will take place at HC Fitness in Stratford from October 10 to 16 as part of the Helping Hands Running Festival. To break the existing world record, Mr Dixon will need to surpass the current benchmark of 846 kilometres, which will require more than 100 hours of running.
Mr Dixon is taking on the monumental task for his daughter, Gracie. He hopes the run will show her that he would do anything to provide her with every opportunity in life, while also helping to foster a more safe and inclusive community for people living with disabilities.
The ultimate target is to raise $1 million through the Helping Hands initiative over the coming years. Funds raised will directly support Free 3D Hands, an organisation dedicated to developing open-source assistive technology for Gracie and other children like her across the globe.
While Mr Dixon admitted he isn’t exactly excited about the prospect of running on a treadmill for a week straight, he is eager to bring the regional community together for another inspiring cause. The festival will see 200 fellow runners pushing their own physical boundaries to help drive positive change.
