JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – The countdown is on, as runners prepare for Saturday's Wolfson Children's Challenge. It's a chance to benefit children in the area.
For years the run was known as the "One to Grow On" ultra marathon. Now it's known to the River City as Wolfson Children's Challenge.
One thing that has not changed is the good work Wolfson Children's Challenge does in our community. Over the last four years, the ultra marathon events have raised more than $2 million.
The run takes place Saturday from the Bragan Field at the Baseball Grounds of Jacksdonville. Runners have the choice between the ultra marathon of 55 miles, which starts at 4 a.m. and the 1 mile fun run, which starts at 10 a.m..
Someone who is no stranger to the ultra marathon is Channel 4 meteorologist Richard Nunn. After running in each of Wolfson's five ultra marathons,
he is retiring from the ultra marathon after this year's Wolfson Children's Challenge.
To celebrate Richard's last ultra marathon, The Morning Show crew surprised him by having runners who are running the 55 miles come in with gifts. He received a tiara, a runner's chalice, a "retired" hat and an inflatable walker.
Among the presenters was 16-year-old Matthew Taylor. Despite having cerebral palsy and being an ongoing patient of Wolfson, is planning to run the entire ultra marathon this year.
Richard says Matthew that was one of his inspirations to keep going.
"What I wanted to do... was bring attention to all the great stuff that's going on at Wolfson," Richard said. "And then it's just the excitement of all those insane people that kept me coming back for the next five years."
He says he's not done with running -- he'll run the Wolfson relay events in future years and help build that up -- and will personally turn his focus to triathlons in the future.