Chris Jackson
READ MORE ABOUT:
What would you do for charity? For ultra marathoner Chris Jackson charity means committing to running 12 marathons in 12 months to raise money for Amnesty International. Let me put it to you another way: that's 314 miles in 365 days and that's without any of the training that goes along with marathon running.
So far he's down four marathons and one toe nail and according to an article in Tonic, he's still going strong. He may even throw in a few triathlons, ultra-marathons, and adventure runs just to add some spice. And one of the marathons will be run in The Republic of Congo, the country that he's raising money for and one of the more dangerous places on the planet.
"The way I see it, is if people can live through the crisis in the DRC then why can’t I run 26.2 miles every month? I’m not going to give up, I can’t give up," he says.
Jackson spent years working on Africa issues as a lobbyist for Cicero Consulting in London. His work "brought to light the day to day horrors that men, women and children faced in that region." He needed to witness the war and destruction himself so he visited Congo and had this to say about his trip:
The short time I spent there shocked me, it shattered my innocent conception of what poverty and despair really are – I couldn’t have been further removed from my London Lite comfort zone. I was greeted by gunmen and children; not always different things. I was confronted by casualties from the ongoing conflict, horrified by the tales of sexual abuse in the refugee camps, and overwhelmed by the impact this fleeting visit made on my mind.
Jackson felt compelled to support the people of Congo after witnessing the brutality and extremes of poverty that were far worse than any other third world country that he had ever visited.
Chris Jackson's Fundraising Efforts
This fearless London marathoner has already raised nearly $3,300 for Amnesty International, 89 percent of his goal of $3,675. You can support the cause via his Web site. Amnesty International doesn’t just reveal human rights abuses but takes action to put an end to them. The group mobilizes the public to put pressure on governments, armed political groups, and companies through public demonstrations, letter-writing campaigns, education, awareness-raising concerts, and lobbying efforts amongst other avenues. According to Tonic, he's also working with Women for Women International to find ways to support their efforts in DRC.
More on Running For a Cause
Runners: Choose a Marathon that Matches Your Eco-Values
Holter Graham Runs a Half-Marathon
Memory Marathon is the Start of London Olympics 2012
