In 1964, Ted Corbitt spearheaded an effort to get a runner from the US to England for September’s London-to-Brighton race. At the time, the 52.5 mile run was one of the premier ultrarunning events in the world.
The fund had a ways to go – at the time, a coach ticket to London by air cost about $500.
Corbitt ended up making it to England that year to be one of the 62 entrants in the race, finishing second by less than a minute. It was his second of five attempts at the distance, and his first of three runner-up finishes.