COBURN GORE – The early morning light was just beginning to streak across the sky when Katie Spotz set out on her Saturday morning run. If everything went according to plan, she wouldn’t stop until reaching Freeport, some thirty hours later. Her run would begin at the Canadian Border in Coburn Gore and stretch down across the state- a 130-mile journey that Spotz would be the first to accomplish.
Spotz is an endurance athlete and clean water activist. In addition to her long distance goal, Spotz works to reach an even larger goal: to raise funds for Lifewater International, a non profit organization whose goal is ensure that every child has access to safe drinking water.
“To date, I’ve raised nearly $16,000 so children and communities never have to drink a drop of dirty water,” Spotz said.
This weekend’s undertaking, which she called the Run4Water challenge, is dedicated to raising funds and awareness for a project in Tanzania. She spent the last six months training while stationed in southern Maine with the U.S Coast Guard.
This effort marks Spotz’s 8th endurance challenge in support of this cause. Earlier this summer, she completed two similar runs: 61- miles across the state of New Hampshire and 73-miles across the state of Vermont.
“I’m excited,” she said. “And I’m as ready as I’ll ever be.”
It wasn’t always this way. Spotz remembers a time in her life when the thought of running even a mile didn’t seem like something she could do.
“At first I didn’t like it at all,” she said. “But it got better in time, and I loved the idea of constantly pushing beyond what I thought was possible.”
Now with an impressive list of endurance accomplishments to her name, Spotz is still pushing that boundary. This run is the longest she’s ever attempted at one time, and the foothills of western Maine will be a challenge.
“The cause is what keeps me going,” she said. “That and knowing how many people are rooting for me is enough to keep me going!”
Over the last few years, Spotz’s story has caught the attention of supporters within the running community and beyond. Many follow her progress on social media, where she chronicles her training and shares motivation.
In addition to helping followers keep up with her progress, Spotz hopes that sharing her journey might inspire others to dream impossible dreams and make a positive impact on the world.
“When people tell me they could never do what I do, I simply share that I thought that too,” she said. “I define success and failure in terms of trying, so as long as you try, it’s a success!”
By the time Spotz reached Freeport on Sunday afternoon she’d proved, yet again, just how far a dream can take you. After almost two days of non-stop running, she’d covered 137 miles and arrived in Freeport, Maine.
Spotz has not yet announced how she will continue her activism in the future but she is ready to go the distance for the clean water cause.
“I’d love to continue funding ways to explore and support this work,” she said.
To learn more about Spotz’s activism and adventures click here.
