Sachin Latti is training for a summer getaway that’s going to look a lot different this year. He’ll be exploring the province through a grinding test of endurance.
“I’m going to be running 22 marathons in 22 days,” Latti told Global’s This is BC. “We’re going to start in Revelstoke and go all the way to Victoria.”
The grueling feat is not for competition but for charity — something he started in 2021 when he got serious about long-distance running for the first time in his life.
“Feet issues, calf issues, everything was swollen. I was in pain pretty much every single day,” Latti recalled.
The goal this year is to raise $50,000 for New Westminster’s Honour House.
“It’s a charity that support all veterans, first responders, emergency personnel in uniform with occupational stress injuries and (post-traumatic stress syndrome),” Latti explained.
The organization is already close to his heart. The Canada Border Services Agency officer has had his own struggles with mental health.
“It got to the point where I was just overwhelmed with a ton of stuff. Depression and anxiety, they were really taking a toll on me,” Latti said.
The number 22 has a special significance to Latti’s mission.
“There was a study done in the ‘States in 2011 that found out that 22 veterans a day commit suicide, so I’m using that number to highlight it,” he said.
Latti started ramping for the initiative by running nine ultra-marathons last year. The thought of running just over 42 kilometres a day for more than three straight weeks comes as just another challenge.
“It’s going to be awesome. It’s going to be so fun,” Latti said. “I’m going to be meeting some amazing people. I’m going to be talking to a ton of people. I’m going to be experiencing things I’ve never experienced in my life.”
This is just the next step in what he plans to be a very long journey for years to come, with bigger fundraising targets, over much greater distances.
“The ultimate goal will be in 2025. That is to run across Canada,” Latti said. “It’s a daunting task but I like setting massive goals and see what happens.”
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