Ultra marathon runner Pat farmer goes that extra mile

FOR ultra-marathon runner Pat Farmer, running 85km to support someone he barely knew is nothing out of the ordinary.

Pat Farmer

FOR ultra-marathon runner Pat Farmer, driving from Sydney to Tuggerah, sleeping in his car for a few hours and then running 85km to support someone he barely knew is nothing out of the ordinary.

Rachel Davis didn't expect a response from Farmer when she contacted him via Facebook to ask for any advice for the 100km treadmill run she had planned which raised $16,000 for the Cancer Council.

Farmer did far more than that, running the first 85km alongside Ms Davis.

Ms Davis said Farmer watched over her during the run like a father to ensure that she achieved her dream.

"My prep was due to him, the way I tackled it was due to him and to be perfectly honest I don't think I would have made 100km without him there by my side," she said. "He knew exactly what I was going through and knew exactly what to say."

But it was a no-brainer for Farmer who described Ms Davis as a shining beacon.

"She deserved the right to finish that on her own it was beautiful," Farmer said. " At 85km, it was time for me to move off and let her have the limelight because it was her idea."

Ms Davis said Farmer, who ran 21,00km from the North to the South Pole, was a selfless individual.

"I've never meet somebody that was so giving to someone for no reason whatsoever," she said.

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