SFM Ambassador DeadSkout’s Coast-to-Coast Run for Mental Health!

In an incredible run across the U.S., he will depart Santa Monica, California aiming to finish in under 50 days by averaging 60-65 miles daily! We’re proud to stand behind him as members of the Sadboy Crew and support his dedication to shedding light on mental health and suicide prevention.

Want to get involved?

Donate to the Cause:
Your donation supports Skout’s journey and benefits The Child Mind Institute, a non-profit devoted to: “reaching struggling kids wherever they are.” To show our appreciation, you’ll receive an exclusive SF Marathon 2024 participant shirt. Feeling generous? You’ll snag extra goodies for every additional donation! You can donate when you sign up for the TRANSCON 2024: DEADSKOUT

Stay Connected on Instagram
Follow us at @TheSFMarathon for daily updates, behind-the-scenes moments, and to cheer him on as he takes on this incredible challenge. Let’s flood the feed with encouragement, and keep Skout feeling the love all the way across the country!

This run is about more than just miles—it’s about showing up for each other. Join the journey and be part of something bigger

CLICK HERE TO JOIN THE EVENT AND DONATE

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If, in the next two months, you meet a runner dressed in all black and wearing a motorcycle helmet, you’re not hallucinating. That’s SKOUT, doing his 50-day trans-continental run dedicated to raising awareness for mental health and suicide prevention. Why the helmet? Why the run? And why is SKOUT running this route again, even if he’d already crossed the States on his own two legs last year?

Written and edited by Pavlína Marek
(Editor’s note: some answers were shortened or edited for clarity.)
Warning: this article deals with topics related to mental health and suicide. If you are struggling with mental health,  please dial “988” Suicide and Crisis Lifeline available 24 hours every day.

“Make it to New York in 53 Days or End It”

In 2023, SKOUT laced up his shoes and headed out on a run. This run would take him across the entire continent in 58 days. However, before he set out on this journey, SKOUT had made a promise to himself. He’d “make it to New York in 53 days or end it.” This meant that, no matter how far he’d run, he had to stop, “head back home to Los Angeles, and start all over again.”

In just a few days, on September 13, his second attempt begins. This time, however, he’s set a 50-day cutoff. Given that the journey is over 3,000 miles, he’ll have to cover roughly 100 kilometers (62 miles) every day to achieve his goal.

He’ll run through 13 states on his journey, visiting California, Arizona, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Kansas, Missouri, Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, West Virginia, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and New York.

Who is SKOUT?

SKOUT is an animated character (dead panda) I created in 2018. The inspiration came from my Alaskan Malamute dog named Bosko and being part of the Vans Warped Tour with my friends.

I was born and raised in Compton, CA. Most of my interest growing up has been anything artistic like writing, drawing, painting, music, and so on. To this day I continue to use art to express myself. As far as work, I pick up odd jobs here and there since I’ve invested most of my time now pursuing a career in running and art.

Tell me about when you first got the idea to do this run.

The first time I ran across the country in Oct 2023 I failed to meet my deadline which was finishing in 52 days. The rules I set for myself when I started that run was If I didn’t finish in 52 or less I would have to do it again the following year. So here I am, ready to start again since I failed to hit my target the first time around. It was a clear goal so I spent this entire year training for this.

Searching for Support

Last year, he ran the course on his own, with no support except from a few friends along the way. For this year, SKOUT hoped to hire a three-person crew and a van to follow him across the states and help with hydration, nutrition, social media, and other aspects of his journey.

By August 2, it looked like he’d have to go without support once again. However, as he wrote on his social media, his luck turned around.

“On my last post I made in August after completing my ultra race in SF I explained that I wasn’t able to get any sponsorships/partnerships for my upcoming Transcon,” he wrote. “Not too long after that post, The San Francisco Marathon reached out to me letting me know that they want to step in and not only become a sponsor but lend me their help and resources to assist me on my Transcon.”

Initially, he was skeptical. After a few bad experiences when people and organizations offered help and then went cold turkey, he didn’t want to get his hopes up. This time, however, things were going to work out.

“Thanks to @thesfmarathon I was able to get a partnership for my Transcon with @pumarunning,” he wrote.

The San Francisco Marathon sent SKOUT 3 pairs of Puma shoes to test out and see which one he felt “was able to get the job done” and help him cover the 3,000 miles between Los Angeles and his New York finish line. “After I select one or all three, the SFM will take care of figuring out the drop-offs and all the logistics for me.”

What’s your why? You wrote you’re doing it “To advocate and bring awareness for suicide prevention.” Would you like to elaborate on that?

I was going through a dark time in my life when I started SKOUT. I wanted to share my story and at the same time reach out to any other individuals who felt just like I did. Anyone going through mental health issues or having any sort of suicidal thoughts. I just wanted to create a story for SKOUT.

[Editor’s note: SKOUT shared the website of the Child Mind Institute for anyone looking for help or to contribute to the cause.]

I also want to improve as a runner and complete my upcoming Transcon in under 50 days. And continue to share my personal struggles as I make my way from coast to coast.

Are you planning on running in your helmet?

Yes, the character always stays on. A lot of people don’t know but there’s a face on the helmet which is the actual character. Which is SKOUT.

Are there any other goals except for your main goal?

To make it back home in One Piece.

The Child Mind Institute

One of the ways SKOUT spreads awareness and help is by promoting the Child Mind Institute, a resource for children, adolescents, and families of children and adolescents who are experiencing mental health struggles.

According to the Child Mind Institute website, “Millions of children – as many as 1 in 5 – struggle with mental health or learning challenges. Fully 70% of U.S. counties do not have a single child and adolescent psychiatrist. Due to stigma, misinformation, and a lack of access to care, the average time between the onset of symptoms and any treatment at all is over 8 years.”

The Child Mind Institute was created to help counter this lack of psychiatrists. Over the years, they’ve become “the leading independent nonprofit in children’s mental health by providing gold-standard evidence-based care, delivering educational resources to millions of families each year, training educators in underserved communities, and developing tomorrow’s breakthrough treatments.”

SKOUT in the middle of the plains with an AI tornado filled with pandas behind him

Logistics and Community

As SKOUT wrote on his social media, “You either focus on your running performance or on trying to be a social creator.” Trying to do both things can be only detrimental. That’s why the San Francisco Marathon will be taking care of the social aspect of SKOUT’s run.

“They’re going to make sure I can just focus on my running and they worry about the outreach and social stuff,” he wrote. “They will make sure I’m always as connected with you guys as I just focus on my running day by day.”

Even though this trans-continental run will be mostly a solo effort just like last year, SKOUT has reached out to people he met last year.

“Without any of them, I wouldn’t have finished the first time in 58 days,” he wrote. “That honestly would have taken me much longer.”

He hopes to meet some of his friends from last year again, however, he’d also be happy to meet new people. Support from the running community is always welcome as such an endeavor can be a harsh and lonely adventure.

To make planning and getting in touch easier, he’ll be posting his route map, “so if anyone wants to help out for any days, I will gladly take the help.” However, the route and maps can still change as the journey progresses.

“I’ll keep updating until the day I start,” SKOUT wrote.

Running across the whole continent is no small feat. I imagine it requires quite a bit of planning. What’s the plan?

I planned out my entire route. I broke it down by weekly progress. My plan is to finish in under 50 days so I would have to average 60-65 miles a day. This is a solo run so as far as food and water I would have to get it as I go whenever I come across any stores. I also have some friends I made who are helping in certain areas, which makes it easier for me, not to have to carry all my supplies while running.

I’m looking for a tracker app so people can locate me and find me at any given time. That way, they can come out and run with me if they want to.

✖️If you are struggling with mental health,  please dial “988” Suicide and Crisis Lifeline available 24 hours every day.✖️

 

CLICK HERE TO JOIN THE EVENT AND DONATE

 

 

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