Edwin Martin just completed a grueling 24-hour treadmill. The endurance athlete covered 133.20 miles to raise funds for a noble cause. Martin live-streamed the entire feat to engage with his supporters.

On March 12, Martin completed the challenge with aplomb, running without any breaks. The best part? He did this as part of mental health awareness. It was a fundraiser for their local mental health nonprofit, Quest in Recovery.

“This one was for you. For the ones carrying weight they don’t talk about. For the people who are tired. For all the miles I was running, I was thinking about you guys. Keep going. Keep fighting,” he says.

Martin hopes to motivate those who are going through difficult times to push through. He tells them that “there is hope on the other side of whatever they’re going through and that they’re loved and their story matters.”

He managed to raise nearly $4,800 by live-streaming the run on his social media accounts. However, this isn't the first time the ultramarathon runner has run for a cause.

How Edwin Martin Turned a Treadmill Challenge into Online Activism

Although it initially seemed like the primary motivation behind Martin’s challenge was to test his endurance, it goes beyond that.

He wanted to draw attention to his passion project, '24:70,' which is dedicated to s****** prevention and bringing awareness around mental health issues.

In fact, even the name of his project honors the 70 individuals who lost their battle with mental health in Charleston County, South Carolina.

However, Edwin Martin's motivation doesn't stop at raising awareness or helping charitable organizations. The ultramarathoner also aims to build a community that "share struggle and sunshine, and share strength and inspiration."

Alongside his efforts to motivate people, Martin has also shared his own fitness journey that transformed his mental health. He periodically shares clips of his own transformation from being inactive to an athlete.

So what's your takeaway from the 24-hour treadmill challenge? Tell us if you found it inspirational in the comments.

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Written by

Avantika Das

Edited by

Sagnik Bagchi