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Yesterday afternoon I was stopped with the rest of the traffic at the intersection of Broadway Avenue and Cambie Street and watched as a fellow triumphantly strode down the middle of the northbound lane of Cambie. He was preceded by a phalanx of Vancouver police on motorcycles and trailed by a gaggle of happy hangers-on, apparently celebrating his achievement.

[caption id="attachment_10136" align="alignnone" width="497"] Jamie McDonald (on the right) near Vancouver yesterday. -- Jamie McDonald[/caption]

He obviously wasn't Jamie McDonald, the fellow from Gloucester, England, who finished his epic 275-day, 5000 km, coast-to-coast fundraising run across Canada in Vancouver yesterday. But he was part of the McDonald entourage.

The fellow I saw was sporting a sponsor's logo on his striped jersey: a British building materials company called Jewson, and he was followed by one of McDonald's more colourfully-costumed supporters.

[caption id="attachment_10138" align="alignnone" width="497"] "Captain America" is part of the run but "stripey-socks" may be a pedestrian.[/caption]

Jamie McDonald's run is estimated to have raised over CAN$200,000 for Canadian and British hospitals, including SickKids Foundation, Great Ormond Street Hospital Children's Charity and the Pied Piper Appeal.

The 27-year-old, from Gloucester is believed the first Brit to run across Canada and, according to the BBC, the first person to complete the journey without support. He even slept "rough" along the way, like a camper or a homeless person.

He began his cross-Canada run in St John's, Newfoundland-Labradour on March 9, 2013. He ran most of the distance dressed as the comic book superhero The Flash.

Along the way he suffered several injuries, faced -40 degree temperature in the Rockies and, most seriously off all, was beaten and robbed on New Year's Day in Banff.

But McDonald's determination to finish the run apparently never wavered. He was continually buoyed by a wave of support from his home city of Gloucester, and from the Canadians he met along his journey.

McDonald has explained the inspiration for his fundraising run came from a desire to show gratitude for the care he received as a child when he suffered from a debilitating immune deficiency and a rare spinal condition called syringomyelia.

Mr McDonald is expected to be in Vancouver until next week when he will return to the UK, where his home town of Gloucester is planning to honour his achievement with a homecoming ceremony. Click the images above to enlarge them.

[caption id="attachment_10139" align="alignnone" width="497"] The only thing I don't understand is what he's holding? The sand wedge of Victory?[/caption]