“In the Spring of 2021, I started my fundraiser called Hunger vs Hunger. Initially, the fundraiser was simple. I set out to burn as many calories as I could in one day to raise awareness for food insecurity. I got one corporate sponsor, The Jerry H Walton Foundation, to match donations and I asked as many people to donate as possible. Then, all of that money would go to the Bellingham Food Bank. That first year, I had a goal of $10,000 and I raised over $29,000.”
Join us in exploring the past, present and future of Ethan Hunger’s annual fundraiser for the Bellingham Food Bank, Hunger Vs. Hunger. In this Q & A style article, we explore Ethan’s motivations, goals, and specific workout plan for Hunger vs Hunger’s fundraiser on Saturday, July 20th, 2024.
What was your mentality toward sports when growing up? How has it changed now, doing it for charity.
Start of the 3 mile swim with some company 2023
“Growing up, I hated running for the sake of distance. Absolutely hated it. I didn’t hate hard work or pain, but I hated what I must have deemed as hard work without a purpose. As an adult, I still prefer running in a game sense than running to run, but my perception has certainly changed. I’d say my body’s relationship with running has remained unchanged. It sends my brain signals saying ‘please stop doing this’ as soon as I start and continues asking until the bitter end of each run. However, my mentality couldn’t have changed more. It’s hard to say how much of it is that every time I run, I can justify it in my brain as running for a cause. Without the cause, I’m not sure how much I would run or how that dynamic would change. I love the way I feel afterwards and the tricks I can play to distract myself along the way. I truly enjoy running with friends as well. I must love running to some extent or I don’t think I would be doing it so often.”
What inspired you to start the fundraiser prior to 2021?
“The original motivation for the exercise challenge began in the fall of 2020. A good friend of mine, Austin, had called me out to try and burn 10,000 calories in one day. It was the midst of covid and there quite simply wasn’t much else going on. So I did. October 16th, I burned 10,000 calories on the dot and then immediately stopped. One of the first things out of my mouth was ‘I’m never doing that again.’ Fast forward a few months and someone points out to me that I almost completed the distances for an Ironman triathlon during my calorie burning day. As someone with a relentless competitive spirit who still didn’t have much going on, I knew I had to do it just once more. Except this time, I had to complete Ironman distances at a minimum. My next thought progression was the one that would replay in my head for the next month as I pondered what I should do: “If I’m going to go through all of that again, why not take the extra time and energy I have and do some good with it?” Once I knew that I wanted to do it as a fundraiser, the next steps were simple: 1) pick which non-profit 2) reach out and ask if I can host an event for them. Those steps didn’t take me long at all and the next thing I knew, Hunger vs Hunger was born. “
What are the tough moments for you throughout the day of exercise? Do you have any memorable moments over the years?
Friends joining Ethan on his 112 mile bike ride during Hunger vs Hunger’s 2023 fundraiser.
“The day itself is so unique. There is absolutely nothing in my life to compare it to. Every year, it somehow manages to be both the best and worst day of the year. It’s the one I stress about most, but look forward to for months. And it’s the most fulfilling and draining 24 hours of my life every time. There are so many incredible people that come together to make the day happen that I spend a lot of the morning excited to celebrate with them when I see them, whether it’s during a workout or at the finish line. One of the many funny parts about exercising for that long in one day is that there aren’t many individual moments that are really hard. It’s just an exceptionally long slog. I’m sure it’s always “easier” in retrospect, but as far as the mental part goes, that’s the truth. The workouts, for the most part, remain pretty peaceful for me. It’s hard to run on pure adrenaline or excitement for all that time, so eventually I relax and accept that I’ve got a lot of time left. The tough moments I remember from over the years are such a wide mix. The easiest answer is that I’ve lost 1-2 toenails every year I’ve done this. Usually they take about a year to grow back fully too, just in time to get ripped off all over again. I had a moment 2 years ago where I was 98 miles into my road bike ride and was rounding the southern tip of Lummi Shore Rd when I looked up and saw a 80-90 lbs German shepherd standing in the middle of the road. As I got closer, he seemed intent on removing my body from the bike I was on, so I started to worry about what would happen next. Once I got within 10 or so feet, I pedaled as hard as I could and shot my bike as far right as the road would allow. He took two big steps and lunged at me, just missing my back tire by what felt like the breeze between his teeth. Sorry to disturb your road! Beyond that, my favorite moment every year (that’s not people related) is the sunrise. It’s just incredibly special.”
How have you been preparing for the big day?
Ethan fundraising live on the stationary biking during this year’s North West Tune-Up
“Last weekend was an absolute whirlwind. Northwest Tune-Up had taken over as the main attraction in Bellingham and I thought it would be fun to try and turn that into some momentum for my fundraiser. I made a pretty simple plan and set out on my mission. I had a 6 foot by 2 foot sign made with a bunch of information about the Bellingham Food Bank on it and then I got a friend to help me drag a spin bike to different locations throughout the weekend. My most successful stint was on Sunday when we hauled it to the front of the stage area for the shows. I ended up spinning for 3 full hours and talked to around 100 people about food insecurity in our community. I was lucky enough to receive a couple hundred dollars in donations as well! The rest of my weekend included a 2.5 hour mountain bike ride on Friday, a 2 hour spin at NWTU on Saturday evening, a 2 hour mountain bike ride on Sunday morning, and of course the Lake Whatcom Triathlon on Saturday morning! My legs were pretty toasted when I got home Sunday night, but the awareness, community and fitness of it all was well worth the trouble.”
How has this event changed you? What do you see in the future for Hunger vs Hunger?
“Hunger vs Hunger has certainly changed my life. It serves as a platform that allows myself to be a voice for many who don’t have one. It allows me to feel a sense of purpose and fulfillment that I had only ever dreamed about. I feel so lucky to have received all the support I have since I started this. My promise in exchange is to continue to give it all back as much as I can. My fundraiser is no longer a negligible amount of money and there’s a responsibility that comes with that. It begs the question of how I’m going to be able to continue to grow this (or even maintain this) as my life moves forward. My goal hasn’t changed though. My goal has always been to remind people over and over that giving back to those in need should be a habit rather than a spontaneity. I then try and find creative ways to get people to show up to fundraiser events and raise money for those in need, whether they realize they are doing it or not.
There’s nothing that would make me happier than seeing someone elsewhere who becomes inspired by the fundraising network I’ve created and sets out to create something similar in their own community. Fundraising for something you believe in is incredibly empowering and I am more than happy to answer more questions or give guidance to any of you that feel like this route may be for you!”
What is your plan for this year? Where will you be biking, swimming, running, and working out in Whatcom County?
“I’ll be setting out on July 20th to once again “ruin” my day to try my best to empathize with the struggles of those in need, while rallying everyone around me to join my cause. My day will look like this:
H.I.I.T workout at JD Elite 2023
2:00 a.m. – 112 mile bike ride
9:30 a.m. – 1 hour H.I.I.T. workout at JD Elite
10:30 a.m. – 16 mile run
1:30 p.m. – 3 mile swim
4:30 p.m. – 6.5 mile mountain bike ride
5:30 p.m. – 10.2 mile run
All of my routes are viewable here: www.ethanhunger.com/routes
Around 12,000 calories burned, 15 hours of moving time, 84,000+ steps taken, 148 miles traveled, and a couple less toe nails than I started with… That’s what my day usually looks like. And I’ll keep on doing it as long as I can.”
Some final words from Ethan…
Ethan speaking at Stone’s Throw at last year’s Finish Line Party
“Hunger vs. Hunger has gone from one corporate sponsor to thirty-six. My fundraising goal has gone from $10,000 to $100,000. The number of events I host has gone from one to twelve. My fundraising total has risen from $29k to $220k. And the demand at the Bellingham Food Bank has gone from 1,300 families per week to 5,100. While the increase in my fundraising total has been awesome to see, the increase in reliance on the Food Bank has been equally as unfortunate. It’s fantastic that they are able to serve that many people, but I look forward to a day where 20% of our community isn’t going hungry.
There are members of every community world wide who were born and set up to fail. Everyone deserves an equal shot at living a happy and healthy life. My dream for Hunger vs Hunger is that someday it can become its own weekend workout festival where we can bring people together to push their bodies, while taking all of the profits and donating them back to the community that the challenge took place in. Picture a weekend long celebration of health, fitness, and giving back.”
Join Ethan this Saturday, July 20th, at Hunger vs Hunger’s Finish Line Party at Stone’s Throw Brewery from 5pm-10pm. It is free and open to all ages. Can’t join this year? Mark you calendar for next year!
To learn more or get involved in Ethan’s cause visit: www.ethanhunger.com/hungervshunger
To donate, visit: https://donations.bellinghamfoodbank.org/hvh24 (all donations tripled!)
