Bethel Man In Ultra-Run To Raise Money And Awareness For Autism

BETHEL, CT — If the weather's pleasant, you may want to go for a run the weekend of Mar. 11-12. But odds are you won't be going for a run the entire 48 hours, unless your name is John Rubsam.

The Bethel resident will be taking the "4x4x48 Challenge," a physical and mental test popularized by motivational speaker, ultra marathon runner and ex-Navy SEAL, David Goggins.

Participants run four miles every four hours, across 48 hours. Rubsam will begin 4 p.m. Friday, and end his journey 48 miles and 48 hours later.

When do you eat? When do you sleep? That's all part of the mental strategy that Rubsam said he's still working on. He reckons his final plan will find him running four miles in an hour, and then catching some carbs and sleep during the next three hours before beginning the cycle over.
Rubsam's routes will include around Huntington State Park, Fairfield Hills, and the track at Bethel high school, among other venues.

All that running and staggered shut-eye is for a cause. Rubsam, who works in corporate finance for Timex, is raising money for Autism Services and Resources Connecticut. The a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization provides resources and services for persons on the autism spectrum and their families.

Rubsam's son Tyler, a kindergartner at Berry Elementary, was diagnosed with autism in September.

"We've been helping him live with the different anxieties, from putting clothes on in the morning to putting his shoes on to just getting ready for the day. Every day is kind of an adventure. But it's just part of life."

Rubsam told Patch that, even though there are a great number of available therapies and therapists, "If you go through private practice, you could be on a waiting list for years to get these kinds of services."

The GoFundMe campaign was about $500 shy of its $5,000 goal as of Friday afternoon, a week before the start of the challenge,

GoFundMe is a Patch Partner.