One year ago, Adam Scully-Power couldn’t run two miles without stopping. On PMC weekend, he will make history as the first person to take on the 163-mile PMC route from Babson to Provincetown by foot, running to raise money for lifesaving adult and pediatric patient care and cancer research at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute.
A once self-proclaimed non-fit, nearly 40, father of four, Scully-Power was inspired to start running ultra-marathons as part of a conscious decision to change his diet and get back in shape. Like with so many people, Scully-Power let long days at the office and his daily routine get the best of him. His college sweetheart-turned-wife of 15 years and a popular foodie film are responsible for his shift in diet in which he adopted a whole food, plant-based intake and cut out processed foods, meat and dairy. As he began to shed the pounds, Scully-Power felt more energized and so he began to run long-distance.
“I wanted to do something as a tribute to the victims of the bombings and to honor runners worldwide,” Scully-Power says. “What do I think of running 163 miles? It is daunting but doable. If you asked me that question last year, I would have said I’d never do that, not in a million years.” In addition to achieving the physical goal of running 163 miles, Scully-Power will run to raise $25,000 for the PMC.
Today Scully-Power speaks to groups about changing his diet, losing 50 pounds and becoming an ultra-marathoner. Over the past few months, he’s run two ultra-marathons, logging 100 and 110 miles, each within 24 hours. His message is that people are capable of so much more than they think and that nothing great happens without a team. His motto is an African proverb, "If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together."
To learn more about Scully-Power’s inspirational story, visit: www.whywerun.com.
On Aug. 2 through 4, Adam Scully-Power, of Boston, will make history as the first person to run 163 miles in the Pan-Mass Challenge.