By FireRescue1 Staff
SANDPOINT, Idaho — A firefighter broke a world record by running 100 miles in full firefighting gear without stopping.
KREM reported that Selkirk Fire Rescue & EMS firefighter Gwen Le Tutour shattered the previous record of 26 miles by running back and forth from two fire stations until he reached 100 miles in full gear. He completed the task in 28 hours and 43 minutes without stopping to rest.
Le Tutour, who is originally from France and ran long distances there, said that while other firefighters have run 100 miles in gear, none of them wore the boots.
The firefighter said his goal was to bring awareness to cancer prevention, according to Bonner County Daily Bee. He added that the support of those who rallied around him is what helped him succeed.
“Almost everyone who was around us pushed their limit,” Le Tutour said. “So many people this weekend ran more than they ever ran before … together, we were able to do something that we couldn’t have done without each other. It was so incredible.”
Le Tutour’s wife, Katie Adams, said he was never alone, and that there were never less than eight people with him.
https://twitter.com/KREMDanamarie/status/990705662647681024
“They saw Gwen’s vulnerability,” she said. “They saw [him] suffering. And our friends and our community stepped up. People who weren’t really comfortable with doing this kind of stuff, did it anyway.”
“It’s not about running, it’s not about a marathon time, it’s not about a pace — it’s about the experience and a personal journey,” Adams added. “There is no competition other than with yourself.”
The couple is already planning their next project with filmmaker Scott Rulander to create a documentary that will highlight the run, as well as the stories of locals who decided to do everything in their power to prevent cancer.
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