Halifax man running across Canada for heart and stroke awareness
Neither snow nor rain nor crummy Cape Breton weather could stop Ryan Keeping from chasing his dream of running across Canada on Friday.
"My dream is to run across Canada, 75 kilometers a day,” the Halifax native said in one of his many Instagram videos documenting his coast-to-coast journey.
After completing the distance across Newfoundland, the 26-year-old got off the Newfoundland Ferry Friday morning and began Day 12 of his journey on foot to British Columbia.
"I just love pushing my limits. I always have,” Keeping said.
Keeping's goal is to run nearly two marathons a day for 99 days to raise at least $100,000 for the Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada and to inspire his nearly 75,000 Instagram followers.
"Just also I think when people hear 75 kilometers a day or a big number like that, it makes them realize, 'OK, anything's possible right?’ If you really, really chase down your dream and you put everything into it - it's possible,” Keeping said.
The ultra-runner’s father - who is on the ground supporting his son every step of the way - lives with a heart condition called hypertrophic cardiomyopathy.A big reason Keeping is running is to do it for Dad.
"I went and did the genetic testing myself, and found out that I had the gene,” Scott Keeping said. "I have absolutely no doubt in his (Ryan’s) capabilities. When things get hard, he realizes that all of Canada is behind him."
In communities everywhere, strangers join Keeping for a few kilometres — and learn about pushing their own limits.
"I didn't expect to do 25K today”, said Logan Latulippe of Glace Bay, N.S., who met Keeping at the ferry terminal in North Sydney. "For me, it was my longest run I've done — and he's in his van for another 20 or 30 minutes, and he's just going to get right back up and start again."
Like many who try to run coast-to-coast, Terry Fox is Keeping's hero.
Ryan Keeping is running across Canada to raise money for the Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada. (Source: Facebook/Ryan Keeping)
While Fox’s Marathon of Hope raised money for cancer, Keeping is grateful he's been able to touch people's lives already with his own cause.
"I'm getting messages from people saying, 'Man, my grandfather died of a stroke or a heart attack. You're inspiring me,’” Keeping said. “And like, 'He's with you when you're doing this.' It's just really cool to see the community come behind it."
The young Maritimer's goal is to finish in Victoria, B.C., on July 7.
For more Nova Scotia news visit our dedicated provincial page.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Freeland tables motion previewing omnibus budget bill
Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland will be tabling yet another omnibus bill to pass the sweeping range of measures promised in her April 16 federal budget.
Man dies after suffering cardiac arrest while waiting in ER, widow wants investigation
When an ambulance took David Lippert to the hospital in March of 2023, the 68-year-old Kitchener, Ont., executive was hoping to find out why he was feeling weak and unable to walk. Some 24 hours later, he was found unresponsive in the ER.
BREAKING Baby, grandparents among 4 people killed in wrong-way police chase on Ontario's Hwy. 401
A police chase which started with a liquor store robbery in Bowmanville Monday night ended in tragedy some 20 minutes later when a suspect fleeing police entered Highway 401 in the wrong direction and caused a pileup which killed an infant and the child's grandparents, as well as the suspect, investigators say.
Air Canada walks back new seat selection policy change after backlash
Air Canada has paused a new seat selection fee for travellers booked on the lowest fares just days after implementing it.
McGill requests 'police assistance' over pro-Palestinian encampment
McGill University says it has 'requested police assistance' about the pro-Palestinian encampment on its lower field.
Judge raises threat of jail in hush money trial as he holds Trump in contempt, fines him US$9,000
Donald Trump was held in contempt of court Tuesday and fined US$9,000 for repeatedly violating a gag order that barred him from making public statements about witnesses, jurors and some others connected to his New York hush money case. And if he does it again, the judge warned, he could be jailed.
Court upholds Milwaukee police officer's firing for posting racist memes after Sterling Brown arrest
The Wisconsin Supreme Court ruled Tuesday that a former Milwaukee police officer was properly fired for posting racist memes related to the arrest of an NBA player that triggered a public outcry.
Video captures deadly wrong-way police chase on Highway 401 in Ontario
A new video has surfaced showing a vehicle being pursued by police in the wrong direction on Highway 401 moments prior to a fatal crash that killed four people, including an infant and their grandparents.
New cancer treatment approved, but not everyone thinks it's what's best for patients
A new cancer treatment recently approved in Canada promises to cut treatment time down to just minutes, but experts have differing opinions on whether it's what's best for patients.