Maine Runner Launches Grueling Program to Run 500 Miles in March to Raise Money for Camp Sunshine

As part of his 1 More Mile For Sunshine Challenge, Blaine Moore is adding one more mile each day to his runs throughout the month

CASCO, Maine (March 12, 2012) – A Maine runner who fell short of his goal two years ago said he is determined to run 500 miles in March to raise money for Camp Sunshine, a one-of-a-kind national retreat in Casco, Maine for children with life-threatening illnesses and their families.

Blaine Moore has launched the 1 More Mile For Sunshine Challenge (www.1MoreMileforSunshine.com) – a Herculean effort to add one more mile each day to his training runs throughout the month. The Windham man ran 11 miles on March 11 and will run 12 miles today and so on, until he reaches 31 miles on March 31.

How difficult is this effort? If successful, over the last 10 days of March, Moore’s average distance will be the equivalent of running a 26.2-mile marathon every day.

“Camp Sunshine is great organization that helps not just children with serious illnesses but their entire families,” Moore said. “My goal is to raise $6,000, enough to pay for three families to come to Camp Sunshine and take advantage of these valuable services.”

For daily updates from Moore, or to donate money to his solo fundraiser, visit www.1MoreMileforSunshine.com.

Nestled alongside the shores of beautiful Sebago Lake, Camp Sunshine (www.campsunshine.org) offers children with life-threatening illnesses and their families a place to relax together for a week and to take a break from the extraordinary demands placed on them on a daily basis.

The year-round program is free of charge and staffed almost entirely by volunteers. It is the only program in the nation whose mission is to address the impact of a life-threatening illness on every member of the immediate family.

Moore attempted a similar fundraiser in January 2010, but fell short of his running goal, bowing out on day 25 due to persistent inclement weather and a knee injury. He returned on Jan. 31 to run 31 miles with friends, helping him reach 349.5 miles in total.

This time, a determined Moore said his body is sound and the March weather isn’t likely to be as harsh and unpredictable, giving him confidence he can complete his goal.

Moore, 32, is an avid runner and coach at the Maine Running Company in Portland. He has run 23 marathons and 9 ultra-marathons in 16 different states in his career.



Moore has logged 68.3 miles through Sunday, March 11, two more than the required 66 miles so far. (He has covered that distance in 10 hours, 17 minutes and 56 seconds – a 9:00-per-mile pace.) If he keeps on his progressively more grueling schedule, he will run more than 500 miles in all – with the final week totaling at least 196 miles alone.

The rules permit Moore to run more than once per day to reach his daily goal, but the miles must take place between midnight and 11:59 p.m. that evening.

Moore is planning a special event at Camp Sunshine on Saturday, March 31, for anyone who wants to join him for all or part of his 31-mile run, or just come to watch. A loop course (3 to 5 miles) will be set up, he said, and participants also will be able to tour Camp Sunshine. Registration and more information on the event will be available on his website.

“Blaine is a true friend of Camp Sunshine and we remain so grateful for what he is determined to achieve, all for the good of the children and families that we serve,” said Matthew Hoidal, executive director of Camp Sunshine. “We hope people will recognize the difficulty of what he is attempting here and support his cause. We wish him all the luck.”

Camp Sunshine recently received a coveted 4-star rating from Charity Navigator, the nation’s leading independent charity evaluator. The rating placed Camp Sunshine 39th in the country out of thousands of charities that were exhaustively analyzed for financial oversight, management and transparency.

About Camp Sunshine
Camp Sunshine offers children with life-threatening illnesses and their families a place to relax together for a week, and to take a break from the extraordinary demands placed upon them on a daily basis. The year-round program is free of charge and staffed almost entirely by volunteers. It is the only program in the nation whose mission is to address the impact of a life-threatening illness on every member of the immediate family — the ill child, the parents and the siblings. Since its inception in 1984, Camp Sunshine has provided a haven for more than 32,000 individuals from diverse cultural backgrounds. In addition to providing 24-hour on-site medical and psychosocial support, the camp offers a variety of daily activities, including swimming, boating, archery and soccer, and special events such as bonfires and cookouts. To support Camp Sunshine, please call (207) 655-3800 or visit www.campsunshine.org.

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Here is more information about Camp Sunshine