Fast Eddy runs through city on his across Canada and back again run

Edward Dostaler, better known as Fast Eddy, made a stop at City Hall Aug. 30 on his charity run across Canada and back again.
“The run total distance will be just over 27,000 kilometres,” he said. “I am running solo and unsupported continuously across Canada.”
Dostaler is raising awareness for Alzheimer’s disease and breast cancer by running across Canada twice.
He started in his run in Victoria March 1, 2015 reaching Cape Spear Newfoundland and Labrador on Sept. 30. He will finish his run in Victoria on Oct. 29.
“I am raising awareness and much needed research funding for breast cancer and Alzheimer’s…everything stays in the province that it comes from…and it goes towards research funding,” said Dostaler.
He chose those two causes because of family and friends who have had experience with them.
“I did this specifically because my grandmother has been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s,” he said.
Dostaler chose breast cancer because one of his professor’s at Thomson Rivers University, Tom Owen, was a breast cancer advocate.
“When he passed away I said I would double up my distance and run there and back,” he said.
He is raising funds for the two organizations through his website, www.fasteddycanada.com, with the fund staying in the province of choice of the person contributing.
Dostaler has been on the road in all kinds of weather and been away from home for all the holidays and special occasions.
“The hardest parts been the loneliness of being on the road entirely by yourself,” he said.
Despite the hardship he said it has been worth it.
“A random act of kindness can create an endless ripple and I’m seeing that the ripple isn’t just a ripple but a wave,” said Dostaler.
He considers Chestermere to have been one of the hidden gems that he has discovered on his journey across Canada.
On his first run through Chestermere in April, someone bought him a coffee, made some calls and brought him over to city hall to meet Mayor Patricia Matthews.
“You want small town hospitality but in a city form, that’s Chestermere,” he said.
Since that day the city has been on his map.
Mayor Mathews said that she was really proud to have been able to bring city hall staff together to meet Dostaler and support him.
“He is the epitome of what one person can accomplish when they set their mind to it,” she said.
In addition to raising awareness, this run has allowed Dostaler to find cities and experience Canada in unexpected ways.
“It’s finding the hidden gems in Canada and realizing they just need a little bit of buffing and they shine brighter than any diamond,” he said.