Spanish Runner to Run the Historic Route 66 to Benefit ALS Research
On August 29, Enric Casacuberta, a 61-year-old from Catalonia, Spain, will begin a run of the entire length of Historic Route 66, covering 2,445 miles from Chicago’s Navy Pier to Santa Monica’s Pier to raise funds and awareness for people living with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS).
The initiative, Route 66 for ALS, will take Casacuberta across eight states over approximately 150 days—the equivalent of 93 marathons. He is scheduled to depart from Navy Pier in Chicago and finish at the Santa Monica Pier in California in late January. The run is part of the international celebration of the upcoming centennial of Route 66 and is currently the only official centennial project organized outside the United States.
Casacuberta, a longtime admirer of Route 66, has traveled the historic highway three times, exploring different sections on each visit. As preparations began for the road's 100th anniversary, he wanted to commemorate its legacy with a challenge worthy of its history while supporting a cause with personal significance.
Years ago, one of Casacuberta's close friends died from ALS. More recently, he was inspired by the advocacy of former Spanish soccer goalkeeper Juan Carlos Unzué, who has become one of Europe's leading voices calling for greater research funding and support for people living with the disease. Although he had never been a runner before committing to the project, Casacuberta spent years preparing for the challenge.
"Route 66 has always represented hope and new beginnings," Casacuberta said. "If this journey can help bring hope to families affected by ALS and contribute to finding a cure, every mile will be worthwhile."
Organizers hope the run will raise funds for ALS research while drawing international attention to a disease that remains fatal and has no cure.
Throughout the journey, supporters will be able to follow Casacuberta's daily progress, community events, and fundraising efforts as he crosses Illinois, Missouri, Kansas, Oklahoma, Texas, New Mexico, Arizona, and California. The schedule, which is subject to change depending on conditions on the ground, should have him coming into Oklahoma in mid-October. You can stay up-to-date on his progress at https://runroute66forals.org/en/.
In addition to the website, linked above, you can learn more through the event’s Instagram account and this Oklahoma Today interview from earlier this year.
