British Man Stops in Swift on Cross-Canada Run

A British man dressed up as The Flash is getting a first hand taste of Saskatchewan winter as he attempts to run across Canada unsupported while raising money for children's hospitals across the country.

27-year-old Jamie McDonald admitted the weather here was a shock to his system.

Jamie McDonadl Interview"Pretty cold? I would call it freezing," McDonald said. "I'm a Britt so I'm not used to the kind of -20s and -30s. I'm suffering I'm not going to lie. I've actually got a little bit of frost bite that's taken place on my nose."

He was never a runner and has been building his endurance throughout the process of running approximately a marathon every day since March. It has taken a toll on him.

"I've just picked up in the last few months chronic tendinitis," McDonald said. "So every single step now is just total agony, but I feel like I'm so close. I'm over 160 marathons in and I have about 36 marathons to go."

He believes he would be the first person to make the run unsupported. McDonald carries all his own gear with him and is counting on the kindness of people and businesses along the way. His injury has made the journey difficult, but he's focused on finishing.

"I feel like I'll truly make a difference to people's lives especially the children if I finish it," he noted. "I'm trying to show people that we're capable of doing anything we put our minds to. Finishing this will prove that so I'm just going to keep doing what I'm doing."

McDonald was born with a rare spinal condition known as syringomyelia, as well as a very weak immune system. He was inspired to raise money for children's hospitals based on the help he received.

In 2012, he cycled 14,000 miles from Bangkok to his hometown Gloucester, England. He then broke the world record for static cycling at 265 hours or over eleven days. Both adventures raised thousands of dollars for a children's hospital in England.

He is hopeful of raising money both for children's hospitals in England and in Canada as part of his run across our country. Money he raises in Saskatchewan will go partially towards a children's hospital for this province.

McDonald took a maintenance day in Swift Current on Monday, spoke at a local school and received treatment in the hospital for his tendinitis.

He is headed back on the road on Tuesday along Highway 1 heading west.

Follow his journey at his website here or by his Facebook and Twitter accounts. You can read a profile on McDonald by clicking here.