Ultramarathon runner hits Myrtle Beach on more than 3,000 mile run

MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. (WMBF) - An ultramarathon runner from Connecticut made came through the Grand Strand in the midst of a 3,000-mile journey up the east coast on Friday.

And every step is for a good cause.

Shan Riggs, along with his partner, Joshuaine Grant started the trek last month from Key West, Florida. They’re heading up the East Coast Greenway, which connects 15 states for runners and cyclists toward the Canadian border. Grant has been towing their supplies by bicycle ever since the pair started.

Riggs said he’s been running 40 miles a day, so he hopes to finish the journey in less than three months. He’s also raising awareness to make the Greenway a safer place for runners and cyclists.

He added that at least two-thirds of the trail is on the road and not on an actual trail.

“We are trying to point to the fact that is a wonderful place but is a working progress,” said Riggs.

Riggs also reflected back on the challenges of the run, even dating back to the very beginning.

“In Florida, I fell pretty hard and busted my knee. Ever since then my knee has been painful,” he said.

The South Carolina portion of the trek has been much easier, though. Riggs ran up from Pawleys Island to North Myrtle Beach, which included a section on Robert Grissom Parkway’s sidewalk.

Riggs also said that despite the challenges, he’s going to keep running in hopes of helping others.

“It’s something I feel like I can do and is my little piece to try to make a little bit of a difference to this organization,” he said.

It’s not the first time Riggs has done a run like this.

Back in 2020, he ran from San Francisco until reaching the coast of Connecticut, raising $45,000 for organizations such as Feeding America and Foodshare.

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