Sore feet bring O.C. charity run to an end at mile 124
An 18-year-old Orange County man who vowed to run 200 miles in 48 hours to raise money for a children’s hospital cut short his effort Saturday because, he said, his feet hurt.
Jesse Zweig had started running about 2:30 p.m. Thursday to earn $20,000 in pledges for Children’s Hospital of Orange County. The former El Toro High School cross-country and track athlete planned to end his quest at his Lake Forest home Saturday.
“I always had good health, Zweig said last week while training for the run. “I like the idea of helping kids who don’t have good health. I’m doing this for them.”
Early Friday, as he reached the 90-mile mark after 22 hours of running, Zweig said his feet began to hurt from the pavement. He managed to continue his mission for nearly another day by running laps around the softer track at his alma mater.
By 1 a.m. Saturday, though, he said he had reached his limit. “I wanted to finish, but my body wouldn’t let me do it,” Zweig said. “I’m hurting. I feel an aching pain in my leg and foot.”
The final count: 124 miles.
Donors said Zweig’s early finish wouldn’t affect their pledges. And Zweig said he hasn’t given up. “I’m still going to attempt more,” he said. “I just don’t know when.”
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