Power To Push: Ultra Marathon Runner Succeeds In Pushing Son Across The Country


A family from upstate New York has completed a one-of-a-kind cross country ultra marathon, dubbed Power To Push, which saw runner Shaun Evans push his son from the shores of the Pacific ocean to the Atlantic in a specially-designed wheelchair.

The Evans family embarked on their singular excursion nearly three months ago, as WNYT reports. Supported by his wife, Nichole, and the rest of his family, Shaun Evans set out on the 60-day-journey from Seattle, aiming to push his son, Shamus, across the country. At 9-years-old, Shamus lives with cerebral palsy, yet he took the first steps of his family’s odyssey out of the waters of the Pacific on July 4. On Tuesday, the Evans family’s journey came to an end as Shamus walked the last few steps into the Atlantic at Orchard Beach in Pelham Bay, New York.

All together, the Evans family covered over 3,200 miles as part of their effort to “spread the gift of mobility and inclusion.” As ABC 10 reports, Shaun and Shamus presented 20 different families along their course with running chariots similar to the one pushed by Shaun during his cross country effort.

At the finish line on Tuesday, Shaun Evans spoke about the emotional impact of his cross country Power To Push run.

“It’s kind of sad to say goodbye to such a great family bonding experience and an experience where we were able to provide that gift of mobility. It’s just hard to put into words.”

Shaun’s wife, Nichole, echoed his sentiments regarding the conclusion of the Power To Push run.

“To be here at the finish line is just so emotional because with the power of social media, I know it wasn’t just our journey. It was the entire country’s journey.”

The plan for Power To Push was hatched nearly two years ago, as Runner’s World explains, when Shaun and Shamus finished a six-hour-long ultra marathon together. Shamus expressed his desire to run across the country, and to donate running chairs to other kids like him along their path. The Evans family, who hail from Galway, New York, contacted Ainsley’s Angels, an organization that focuses on inclusion for endurance events, as well as building awareness for the special needs community, and raised over $100,000 for the effort. Shaun, a physical therapist, underwent a rigorous training regimen to prepare for Power To Push, which required him run an ultra marathon a day for the entire summer.

The Evans family crossed 15 states on their Power To Push run, and were greeted by roughly a hundred people at the finish on Tuesday.

[Photo via Facebook/ Shaun Evans]

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