Long distance run benefits JD Foundation

Runner goes 55 miles on 55th birthday

Observer photo/Stuart Hedstrom

 THE JOURNEY OF 55 MILES ENDS WITH ONE STEP — Anthony Campbell celebrated his 55th birthday on Dec. 18 by running 55 miles from Brewer to Abbot as a fundraiser for the JD Foundation. With a few stops along the way, Campbell finished the distance of more than two marathons just before 3:30 p.m. or about 12 hours after he departed. Holding a sign up for Campbell’s finish line is JD Foundation President Cheryl Morin and Vice President Victor Morin. Their son Paul, looking on behind Campbell, ran the last few miles across Guilford and Abbot, and for the very last mile a Guilford fire truck accompanied Campbell to the finish.

By Stuart Hedstrom
Staff Writer

ABBOT — For several years Anthony Campbell has been volunteering with the JD Foundation, a non-profit organization serving the state through suicide prevention and anti-bullying and education by providing holistic approaches and helpful tools to individuals who seek such support. Campbell chose to celebrate his 55th birthday on Friday, Dec. 18 by running 55 miles from Brewer, where he serves as the ROTC instructor at Brewer High School, to the home of the JD Foundation, with the more than double marathon extended excursion serving as a fundraiser for the organization.

“He’s been volunteering for us for about four years, he does whatever we need,” JD Foundation President Cheryl Morin said several hours before Campbell concluded his 55-mile run. “He takes old pianos and makes different things out of them,” she said. Campbell’s various works of art are part of the JD Foundation’s auction, where in the summer he can often be found manning the grill.

Campbell planned to run rain, shine or snow, and during the day on Dec. 18 temperatures rose to well above average for his journey. He departed from the city of Brewer at 3:30 a.m. and ran to Bangor and then out Route 15 toward Piscataquis County.

Along the way Campbell posted updates of his status, where he was and how many miles he had covered so far as well as some selfies with people he met along the way. Morin, who along with other supporters followed Campbell’s status on social media, met him by the Charleston Correctional Facility where she gave him some Gatorade and where Campbell was briefly joined on the road by Tim Throckmorton of WABI for a story on the evening news broadcast.

Shortly after 1 p.m. Campbell crossed the town line from Dover-Foxcroft into Guilford. While posing for another selfie, he said he felt a little sore but was sure he would be able to cover the last two communities along his route.

A few miles down the road Morin’s son Paul, an officer with the JD Foundation, joined Campbell to accompany him for the final stretch. In a few ensuing updates Campbell posted that he was cramping but he was sure he would reach the finish line.

“He has determination and won’t stop,” Cheryl Morin said, saying the idea to run 55 miles was solely Campbell’s.

With about a mile left, a Guilford fire truck pulled onto the road to escort Morin to in-town Abbot. A crowd of well-wishers had gathered at the home of JD Foundation, and soon they could see Campbell, Morin and the fire truck coming around the bend.

Morin and her husband and JD Foundation Vice President Victor held up a sign saying finish line for Campbell. As he made contact with the sign at about 3:25 p.m. and nearly 12 hours after departing from Brewer, he said, “That’s it, I’m done! I ran way too far.”

Campbell said the toughest part of his 55-mile run was ascending the hill in Charleston, but he did not want to walk along this part of his route. He said knowing he was running for a good cause is what kept him going. “This is phenomenal, the JD Foundation everything they do is awesome.”

Checking his timer Campbell said he had 10 hours, 40 minutes of runtime — in addition to his momentary stops he also visited McDonald’s in Dover-Foxcroft for a bite to eat. Campbell, who has ran several marathons, said his previously longest distance run was 30 miles.

“We were a little over $2,000 but at the end of the day $2,000 is no better than no thousand,” Campbell said about his fundraising totals at the start of the day. His goal was to run 55 miles on his 55th birthday in order to raise $5,500 for the JD Foundation — including through a GoFundME page — but contributions were still coming in after he finished.

“I think everything went well, no complaints at all,” he said, just before heading inside to enjoy a soak in a hot bath Morin had prepared for him. “My legs are going to be a little sore tomorrow.”

If the day was not monumental enough for Campbell, his daughter, who shares a birthday with her father, was due to give birth in Atlanta to a boy — Campbell’s first grandchild.

Observer photo/Stuart Hedstrom

THE END IS NEAR — Anthony Campbell, left, who was joined by Paul Morin of the JD Foundation for the last few miles, ran 55 miles on his 55th birthday Dec. 18 as a fundraiser for the JD Foundation. Campbell has been volunteering for the nonprofit, which serves the state through suicide prevention and anti-bullying and education, in different capacities for about four years.

Observer photo/Stuart Hedstrom

A WELL DESERVED SOAK — Soon after finishing his 55-mile journey, Anthony Campbell hopped into a warm bath at the home of the JD Foundation in Abbot.

Observer photo/Stuart Hedstrom

A BIT SORE BUT THE SPIRITS ARE STILL UP — Along his 55-mile run from Brewer to Abbot for the JD Foundation, Anthony Campbell was greeted by well-wishers, given some snacks and beverages and he posed for some selfies while posting updates on social media. Here he takes a brief break just over the town line in Guilford from Dover-Foxcroft.