CNN —With an injured hip, blisters on his feet and experiencing the sort of exhaustion few would be familiar with, Zach Bates retained a steely focus and determination. Rana and Brian even helped with training schedules before finding more experienced ultramarathon runners – such as mentor John Hendrix and coach Nickademus de la Rosa. As he continues to train for more challenges, he’s turned to social media to help capture his journey along the way. In doing so, he has been embraced by runners from all over, but Rana says that’s not the only way social media has helped. Bates' achievements have been lauded on social media by runners around the world.

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