GR runner weathers Sandy in Manhattan

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (WOOD) - A Grand Rapids man on a record-breaking run took shelter in Manhattan Monday night as superstorm Sandy moved in.

Chris Nicholas is working to become the first person to run across the U.S. twice in one year. But Monday night, he was holed up in a hotel, waiting for the worst to pass.

Sandy, now designated a superstorm or nor'easter rather than a hurricane, made landfall along New Jersey on Monday evening. It has already caused flooding in New York City and Atlantic City, where many were  evacuated and public transportation was shut down. Lower Manhattan went dark Monday night after the local utility cut power to much of the borough. The Associated Press reports that as many as 10 people have died in the storm.

Nicholas started this run in Maine two weeks ago. He is running solo, pushing a stroller with an American flag on it, raising money for the Wounded Warrior Project, the Make-A-Wish Foundation and St. Jude Children's Research Hospital.

He said he averages about 30 to 35 miles per day, but Sandy is putting a dent in that.

"You can feel the swirling," Nicholas told 24 Hour News 8 via Skype . "Within a few seconds, it literally whips through and it almost throws you to the ground ... Hopefully this doesn't get too much worse, but unfortunately it probably will."

24 Hour News 8 hopes to stay in contact with Nicholas as the storm and his run progress.