San Diego Man Runs 100 Miles to Surprise Girlfriend in Los Angeles

Most of us know someone who's run a marathon but running four back-to-back

That’s exactly what 26-year-old Aron Greene from San Diego did, setting out to cover 100 miles on foot from his home in Pacific Beach all the way to his girlfriend’s doorstep in Los Angeles.

“It started as this crazy idea to just run from my front door to hers,” Greene said.

While “crazy” might be an understatement, especially for someone who only got into marathon running two years ago, the idea was sparked during a frustrating drive on Interstate 5. “I was stuck in traffic and thought, ‘I could probably run there faster,’” he recalled.

To make the journey a reality, Greene teamed up with Jocko Willink a former Navy SEAL and founder of JOCKO Fuel. The company, which also partners with San Diego FC, stepped in to sponsor his training and the logistics behind the run.

“They handled everything I needed to make it happen,” Greene said.

In June, Greene finally hit the road. The 32-hour adventure was anything but solo he was supported by a crew of friends, photographers, and most importantly, his girlfriend Josie, a nurse, who was there to assist with any medical needs along the way.

“I had people with me, and that made it easier,” he said. “If something went wrong, we could stop and reset.”

At mile 83, however, Greene hit a physical and mental wall. Doubt crept in not just in his mind, but among his support team too. That’s when he turned to music. For the first time during the run, he put in his headphones.

“House, EDM, rap… that’s what got me through the final stretch,” he said.

Greene powered through the last miles and crossed the finish line his girlfriend’s front door emotional and exhausted. “It was a mix of everything: happiness, pain, even sadness that it was over. But I live for this kind of thing. I loved every moment.”

And he’s not done. Greene already has his eyes set on the next challenge: running the 211-mile John Muir Trail.