AMARILLO, Texas (KAMR/KCIT) – A 26-year-old runner known as the self-proclaimed “Forrest Gump of Poland” was set to start his 80th marathon in a five-month, one-a-day challenge from Amarillo on Wednesday.
Tomasz Sobania, a Polish extreme runner, began a journey across the United States in September with the goal of running a marathon per day for five months. He started in mid-September in New York City, and arrived in Amarillo on Tuesday to start the next leg of his 3,330-mile expedition from the iconic Cadillac Ranch.
“Arriving in Amarillo Texas today and only a couple more days and we will be in another state,” wrote Sobania on his Facebook page on Tuesday, “It is sunny but cold. Thankfully my legs are constantly carrying me and I complemented the iron deficiency with a jumbo Texas steak yesterday.”
According to Sobania’s team, he aims to “meet and motivate people to set higher goals, be active and get off the couch.” Sobania invited community members to join him for a run or meet him at one of his marathon finish lines because of his enthusiasm to connect with people worldwide.
During Sobania’s stop in Washington, D.C. in late September, his team noted that he received the Freedom Flag of the US during a congressional ceremony. So far, more than halfway through his cross-country journey, Sobania has run along Historic Route 66 to visit the Amarillo area.
Sobania’s team noted that he planned to set out from Cadillac Ranch on Wednesday morning.