A promise made in grief a decade ago is about to take shape in an extraordinary test of endurance and purpose.
Shortly after the funeral of his father, Dave Upton, in 2016, Matt Upton made a commitment — one he’s now ready to fulfill.
On Sunday, May 3, 2026, the 52-year-old will set out from his childhood home in Baltimore, just north of Cobourg, embarking on a 290-kilometre run to his home in Ottawa. The journey will see him cover roughly 60 kilometres a day in a completely self-supported effort.
His father, well known in the Cobourg community, passed away on February 1, 2016, at the age of 68 following a 10-year battle with cancer.
“I want to do something impactful in his honour,” said Upton. “And with the challenging times we live in, I wanted an epic challenge that was worthy of your donation dollars.”
Cancer has touched Upton’s life more than once — affecting not only his father, but also one of his children and a close friend. That personal connection is driving his effort to raise funds, with a GoFundMe campaign already surpassing $7,000 toward a $10,000 goal.
An experienced runner, Upton is no stranger to long distances, but admits this will be the toughest challenge he’s ever attempted.
Adding to the difficulty is the weather. With rain forecasted for much of the week, Upton says conditions could make an already grueling run even harder.
“It’s going to be rough. The rain makes it hard to run and you get chafing on the arms.”
Despite the physical toll ahead, the motivation remains clear — honouring a father who believed deeply in giving back.
“He always gave back to the community, and that inspired me,” said Upton. “I wanted to give back, to raise money in his name — I think he’d be pretty proud of me.”
Upton is covering all expenses related to the run himself, ensuring that 100 per cent of donations go directly toward cancer-related causes.
Author: Pete Fisher
Has been a photojournalist for over 30-years and have been honoured to win numerous awards for photography and writing over the years. Best selling author for the book Highway of Heroes - True Patriot Love
