Diabetes sufferer Doug Masiuk to run across Australia from City Beach Park

TYPE 1 diabetes sufferer Doug Masiuk will undertake a historic pursuit and run from City Beach Park, all the way across the continent to Sydney, in 77 days.

Only 21 people have made the crossing and the 44-year-old accomplished distance runner will be the first to complete the journey with diabetes.

Colorado-born Masiuk will begin his journey this Australia Day, and each day he will write the name of someone affected by type 1 diabetes on his shoe and run for them.

Masiuk will run for Type 1 Diabetes Family Centre member nine-year-old Issy Miller on January 28, after she was diagnosed with diabetes on World Diabetes Day in November 2018.

“The fact I’m getting to run for these people is huge – this is heartfelt stuff,” Masiuk said.

“You go out there and put your best foot forward and you keep going, you’ll sweat and get tired of eating 8000, 9000 even 10,000 calories a day, and it’s monotonous, but you’ll run for that person because there’s reasons to.”

Masiuk said his passion for running began at a young age but he only started to pursue it competitively in his early 30s.

“As a kid … I couldn’t tie my shoes, so my shoe laces would wrap around my bike cranks and so I would just run instead,” he said.

“I never ran competitively but instead later in life in my early 30s, after the passing of my aunt, I started exercising, and one mile became further and further, and now I run across continents.”

Although his journey will not be an easy feat, Masiuk said he has done this before and became one of 230 people to have ever run across the USA in 2012.

“I’m horrified,” he said about the impending task.

“However, now I’ve come to the realisation this is what I’m doing and it’s going to hurt and it’s going to be painful for 77 days but that’s okay, it’s just 77 days.”

The countdown for Masiuk’s journey will begin at 7.29am at City Beach Park this Saturday.

To follow Doug’s journey go to outrundiabetes.org.