Hellah Sidibe runs by High Desert on 3,200-mile journey to New York
Runner Hellah Sidibe, who uses the moniker “HellahGood” on social media, traveled through the Victor Valley on Thursday as section of a 3,200-mile journey from California to New York Town.
Soon after successfully working up the Cajon Go, Sidibe took to Instagram on Thursday to say that the elevation gain of 2,989 ft — and max elevation of 4,196 feet — kicked his “butt” the prior working day.
Sidibe, 30, stated, “21 miles straight climbing! Almost nothing like I’ve at any time knowledgeable. But newborn there ain’t no mountain substantial adequate!”
Born and raised in the Republic of Mali in West Africa, and now a resident of New Jersey, Sidibe was witnessed Thursday running north alongside Interstate 15 in Hesperia toward Victorville, a number of Superior Desert citizens mentioned.
Marcus Ortiz of Victorville instructed the Everyday Press he noticed “Hellah” before that working day “kicking it challenging along” Countrywide Trails Highway, previously Route 66, near Helendale, on his way to Barstow.
Sidibe begun his operate Monday in Huntington Seashore. He hopes to finish the coast-to-coastline, 15-point out journey in 100 days or much less, he claimed on his YouTube channel, which has about 246,000 subscribers.
Right after operating each and every working day for a number of years, and competing in quite a few prolonged-distance races, Sidibe determined that he wanted some thing far more tough and “something bigger than myself,” he said.
He identified the response in a coast-to-coastline run that will also raise money and recognition for Soles4Souls, a nonprofit that fights poverty and has provided formerly unwanted sneakers to tens of millions of men and women around the globe.
According to his fundraising webpage, Sidibe hopes to raise $50,000 for the nonprofit. On Saturday, the total stood at $2,400, or 4% of his purpose.
On Thursday afternoon, Sidibe observed himself in the Silver Lakes space when he posted on Strava.com, “Day 4 is a wrap for 30 miles acquiring my legs back again from yesterday brutal mountain run.”
Sidibe left the Silver Lakes spot on Friday with his sights — and legs — established on his Barstow and Needles ahead of he leaves California. He’ll then hit Arizona, New Mexico, Texas, Oklahoma, Missouri, Illinois and other states on his way to New York.
On his YouTube channel, Sidibe said four several years back he began jogging “every working day for 365 days in a row, which turned into 2 a long time, then 1,000 days, then 3 a long time … and we are nonetheless likely!”
A vegan and previous professional soccer player, Sidibe stated he strives to inspire and modify lives through his ordeals, as very well as his social media and athletic platforms.
Sidibe moved from Africa to Illinois the summertime ahead of his freshman calendar year of superior faculty. He graduated from DeKalb Significant Faculty and later earned a bachelor’s degree in sociology from the College of Massachusetts, Amherst, according to NorthJersey.com.
In 2020, Sidibe told Men’s Health that he didn’t at first established out to run every day for numerous a long time.
“My mentality was just to get out there for 10 minutes,” he advised the magazine. “The distance did not make any difference for me, the rate didn’t matter.”
Soon sufficient, Sidibe was ready to operate up to six miles, and he pressured himself to get out each individual working day, regardless of whether he wanted to or not.
Sidibe is documenting his operate throughout the U.S. on YouTube and Instagram. To abide by his journey, visit www.HellahGood.com.
Day-to-day Push reporter Rene Ray De La Cruz might be achieved at 760-951-6227 or [email protected]. Observe him on Twitter @DP_ReneDeLaCruz.
