Runner Expected to Finish Marathon in 13 Days

By Miss Cellania in Everything Else on May 8, 2009 at 10:38 pm

Army Major Phil Packer began the London Marathon when everyone else did, but his doctor will only allow him to walk two miles a day, so he is expected to finish on Saturday, 13 days after starting the race. Last year Packer was seriously injured in Iraq and was told he probably would never walk again. However, he is walking the marathon on crutches to raise money for Help for Heroes, a British organization that supports wounded veterans.

The marathon is only part of his project, he says. In February, he rowed the English Channel, and next month, he plans to climb El Capitan, one of America’s iconic mountaineering sites. It’s a 3,000-foot vertical rock formation in California.

The idea to take on the three challenges for charity came to him while he was in a hospital for more than four months last year following a serious injury in Iraq, he says.

“I needed and wanted to be able to move on in life,” he says. “I wanted to do something for other personnel who had been wounded.

“I don’t want to be helped. I want to help other people. Not that I’m not grateful, but … you know,” he says, an apologetic smile forming as he makes his way up the north bank of the Thames River, along the marathon course. “I really want to be able to help people.”

Packer’s goal is to raise £1 million; he has so far raised over half the amount. Link -via Fark


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  1. nickolas_warner
    May 9th, 2009 at 1:27 am

    This is very inspiring. But really? 13 days? I wonder if anyone will stay and watch all 13.

  2. Scotty A
    May 9th, 2009 at 8:39 am

    He’s gonna be upstaged by that 12 year old blind quadriplegic boy who’s still a mile behind him.

  3. Kalel
    May 9th, 2009 at 11:12 am

    Soldier on, Major!

  4. ted
    May 9th, 2009 at 11:49 am

    Why didn’t he start 13 days earlier? Then he’d have a shot.

  5. Vonskippy
    May 9th, 2009 at 12:44 pm

    Great, lets all turn a real running event into another day at Walmarts. No one apparently wants to be the “bad guy” and tell the gimp to STAY HOME and let the RUNNERS run. What’s next POWERSCOOTER entries in the INDY 500.

  7. Horztango
    May 10th, 2009 at 11:56 am

    I’m thinking he’s STILL going to beat _you_ to the finish line, Vonskippy….

  8. thelandlord
    May 10th, 2009 at 12:43 pm

    Well, he made it – a victory for sheer bloodymindedness over some pretty long odds.

    I don’t know what it is about this country, but we seem to have the knack of producing that special breed of people who just won’t take ‘no’ for an answer.

  9. col mcg
    May 10th, 2009 at 2:11 pm

    Oh yes like “NO I wont go into this illegal,immoral war”

  10. Airman B
    May 10th, 2009 at 8:06 pm

    And The ability to not recognize a good man when you see one. One who fought for our country, and gave his body for it. One who fights for people like YOU , so that you can say things such as you do. Learn to love your country,and support your troops or just move the hell away. I got an idea. How about you go to Iraq. The man whos walking this Marathon is 5 times the person you’ll ever be, and he’s crippled.

  11. mikerbaker
    May 10th, 2009 at 10:32 pm

    The men and women who fight for our countries fight for our freedom – they are without a doubt heroes. Bad wars are the fault of bad government – not the heroes that shed blood and tears for the sake of the countries we live in. Army Major Phil Packer is a true hero – still giving in spite of what he lost – regardless of what anyone might think of the “illegal, immoral war.”

  12. David Leehall
    May 10th, 2009 at 10:52 pm

    I find his endeavor self indulgent and arrogant. He should try to find another way of raising money. This guy just wants his 15 minutes of fame. I think it’s sad.

  13. JOHN OLSON
    May 11th, 2009 at 10:50 am

    What I consider “brave” from soldiers these days is them telling the politicos, and not vice versa, when where and how a war will be “Begun and Won.”
    Eugene Debbs was right: the common man is used for cannon fodder. And the problem is that the military is the petri dish for the common man. “Three hots and a cot. Check you brains at the door.”

  14. medicalman
    May 11th, 2009 at 11:27 am

    I get so completely sick and tired of the stupid comments. For God’s sake if you can’t say something nice about a very positive story then just shut up. Do you think that this guy wanted to be so severly injured that he would have to walk on crutches for maybe the rest of his life. Do you think the guys and women that I see at VA hospitals want to be there???? I wish all of you tree hugging hippies would just go away!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

    Way to go my friend keep up the good work and screw the others

  15. Aversa
    May 11th, 2009 at 11:51 am

    col mcg
    May 10th, 2009 at 2:11 pm
    Oh yes like “NO I wont go into this illegal,immoral warâ€

    Shuuutt up!!!! I get the feeling there`s no war you would go into, no matter how legal or moral.
    You people are so tedious!

  16. Podxvost
    May 12th, 2009 at 1:30 am

    here we go, another douche looking for recognition a.k.a. Kyle Maynard

  17. kidharris
    May 12th, 2009 at 2:53 am

    Uncommon people do uncommon things. I would bet that not one of the people sniping at the Major would even consider running a marathon for charity and I would bet even more that none of them would have the guts to make their cracks in a face to face with the Major. IMHO only cowards seeking to feel brave would post anonymous crap like this.

  18. Marinesniper
    May 12th, 2009 at 3:50 am

    John Olson,

    You along with a lot of other people seem to think that “Three hots and a cot” are all there is to the military. What about the endless months spent away from home missing birthdays, anniversary’s, first steps taken, holidays missed, baby’s born and family that passes away? These brave soldiers, of whom I count myself honored to be one, have given much of themselves to support the country they love. Some, myself included, have given 100% and become permanently disabled, while others will never come home alive. This soldier is not looking for his 15 minutes of fame, he is trying to use whatever publicity he can get to support a cause that not only believes in but is a part of. In this world their are citizens and patriots. Patriots EARN the right to enjoy everything their country has to offer, citizens ENJOY everything their country has to offer thanks to the selfless service of PATRIOTS such as this fellow. Are you a Patriot or a Citizen?

  19. Vonskippy's a dick!
    May 12th, 2009 at 6:57 am

    Is it just me or are negative comments the biggest waste of time?

    This guy is so much more of a man than nay of us leaving messages on an internet site, or in fact most men!

    What he has lost, and given to others is absolutely amazing!

    If this guy can do it, we all can!

    Keep trooping!

  20. Not Less of a Person
    May 12th, 2009 at 8:11 am

    I can NOT believe the things people here have said. “The man whos walking this Marathon is 5 times the person you’ll ever be, and he’s crippled.” So now being a “cripple” makes one automatically less of a person? ‘Cause thats sure how your post reads. Obviously, if a cripple can be a better person than a non-cripple, than that able-bodied person must be a really, really crappy individual. Seriously? Do you pay a lick of attention to the things you say?

    And to those of you who think that his “running” the marathon is sad or pathetic or whatever- get a life. I am impressed. He is finding his own way to both come to terms with and make some positive come from his disability.

    Oh, and by the by, we “cripples” prefer the term disabled.

  21. ted
    May 12th, 2009 at 8:20 pm

    People who are disabled have done some pretty amazing things. I work with two guys who come to work on crutches every day, and I could never imagine myself having that sort of strength to do what they do.

    It’s great to see this guy do something like this, but he’s not actually running the same marathon as everybody else. Terry Fox ran halfway across Canada on one real leg and one artificial. He didn’t try to run the Boston Marathon. He found his own path. It is a bit ludicrous to say this guy’s running the marathon when it ends thirteen days before he can reach the finish line. But it is a definable goal. I think he should have started 13 days early, just so he could cross while the race was still going. More of an impact, I would think.
    Good for him, though. The other challenges sound way more interesting to me.


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