Legendary Bitcoin pioneer and activist inspires runners around the world to defeat ALS in second annual Running Bitcoin Challenge

Who Was Hal Finney and Why His Legacy Matters to the ALS Community

From cryptography pioneer to Bitcoin's first adopter: Hal Finney's groundbreaking contributions

Hal Finney was a computer scientist and cryptographer whose work on digital privacy helped lay the technical groundwork for Bitcoin. After graduating from Caltech in 1979, he contributed to Pretty Good Privacy (PGP) -- one of the first widely used email encryption tools -- and joined the Cypherpunks, a community dedicated to using cryptography to protect individual freedoms online. [1] In 2004, he developed Reusable Proof of Work (RPOW), proving that digital scarcity was technically achievable years before Bitcoin launched. [2] On January 12, 2009, Satoshi Nakamoto sent Finney the first Bitcoin transaction ever recorded -- 10 BTC -- after Finney downloaded the Bitcoin software on its release day and helped identify bugs that stabilized the early protocol. [3]

Hal Finney's ALS diagnosis in 2011 and his continued commitment to innovation

Finney was diagnosed with ALS in August 2009, following unexplained muscle weakness that surfaced while training for a full marathon -- a condition that became undeniable after he and his wife Fran couldn't complete a 30-mile anniversary cycling ride they had expected to finish easily. [4] By early 2011, fatigue and declining voice control made continuing his software career unsustainable, and he retired -- though the disease kept progressing toward full paralysis, requiring a feeding tube, a breathing tube, and a speech synthesizer for daily communication. [5] Rather than step back from the work he cared about, he adapted: he built a custom eye-controlled interface to adjust his wheelchair position and used a commercial eye-tracking system to keep writing code, including a project to strengthen Bitcoin wallet security using modern processor features. [6] In a 2013 post on the Bitcoin forum, he wrote directly: "I still love programming and it gives me goals." [4]

How Hal Finney became a symbol of resilience and hope for people living with ALS

Hal Finney became a symbol of resilience for the ALS community because of how he chose to face his diagnosis -- continuing to contribute and stay connected to meaningful work for as long as possible. [1] He passed away on August 28, 2014, and was cryonically preserved at the Alcor Life Extension Foundation, reflecting his belief that technology could expand what's possible even beyond current medical limits. [7] His wife, Fran Finney, carries that spirit forward through the Running Bitcoin Challenge, which raises funds for ALS research in his memory each year. [1] For people living with ALS today, his story -- like those of [other famous people with ALS](https://alsunited.org/blog/famous-people-with-als-stories-of-courage-and-impact) -- shows what it looks like to stay purposeful and connected through every stage of the disease. [1]

The Running Bitcoin Challenge: Turning Hal Finney's Vision Into Global Action

What is the Running Bitcoin Challenge and how it honors Hal Finney's memory

The Running Bitcoin Challenge is a global virtual event that unites Hal Finney's two defining passions -- running and Bitcoin -- to raise funds for ALS research. Participants are challenged to cover the equivalent of a half marathon through any combination of running, walking, rolling, or hiking, completed anywhere in the world and at any pace they choose. [8] The half-marathon distance is intentional: it mirrors the last half-marathon Finney completed in 2009, just before ALS began limiting his physical independence. [9] No less than 80% of all donations go directly to the Hal Finney ALS/MND Research fund, supporting global research into ALS and other motor neuron diseases. [8]

Second annual event brings together runners, advocates, and the crypto community to fund ALS research

For the second year in a row, Bitcoin enthusiasts, athletes of all abilities, and ALS/MND supporters from around the world joined forces to raise funds for ALS treatments and research. [10] The event draws three distinct groups -- runners, crypto advocates, and the ALS community -- into a shared effort that extends public awareness well beyond the Bitcoin space. [10] Participants can earn exclusive fundraising incentives tied to milestone thresholds, with rewards available through a set deadline each year to build early momentum. [8] The challenge also maintains an active community on X (@RunningBTC21k) and Nostr, giving participants space to connect and keep the conversation going well beyond event day. [8]

How ALS United connects participants to comprehensive support services beyond fundraising

Participating in the Running Bitcoin Challenge connects you to ALS United's broader network of support, which extends well beyond fundraising. Member organizations offer peer support groups for people newly diagnosed with ALS, separate caregiver-focused groups, and bereavement support for those who have lost a loved one -- all facilitated by licensed clinical professionals.[11] These virtual groups give participants space to process challenges with others who understand the experience without needing to explain it.[11] For anyone navigating an ALS diagnosis, connecting with an [ALS support group](https://alsunited.org/blog/als-support-groups-connecting-with-others-facing-the-disease/) through our network is a direct path to ongoing emotional and practical guidance.[11]

Hal Finney's Bold Predictions and His Unwavering Belief in Decentralized Solutions

What did Hal Finney predict for Bitcoin's future value and adoption

In 2009, Hal Finney ran a calculation to estimate Bitcoin's long-term value by assuming it would eventually serve as a dominant global store of value. He estimated total world wealth at $100 trillion to $300 trillion -- and dividing those figures by Bitcoin's fixed supply of 21 million coins produced a price range of roughly $4.7 million to $14.2 million per coin. [12] He also stated publicly that he saw Bitcoin becoming "a reserve currency for banks, playing much the same role as gold did in the early days of banking." [13] These projections were grounded in economic logic -- they reflected how a fixed-supply asset would need to be priced if it absorbed a meaningful share of global wealth. [12]

Hal Finney's vision for peer-to-peer technology and its parallels to community-driven ALS support

Finney believed meaningful change happens when individuals coordinate directly -- without gatekeepers -- a principle central to both the Cypherpunk movement he championed and the community-driven approach to ALS advocacy today. [14] Bitcoin's peer-to-peer model distributes trust across a network of participants rather than concentrating it in any single institution, and [ALS advocacy](https://alsunited.org/blog/als-advocacy-get-involved-make-a-difference/) works the same way: caregivers, researchers, patients, and supporters pooling resources and action across a shared network. [2] Fran Finney's path -- from ALS care manager to chair of the Running Bitcoin Challenge -- reflects that philosophy in practice, turning one family's experience into a grassroots fundraising effort that reaches the global Bitcoin and ALS communities alike. [14]

Why Hal Finney's optimism in the face of ALS continues to inspire global movements

What makes Finney's example endure is that his optimism was documented in his own words -- written publicly while he was fully aware his condition was terminal. [15] His autobiography *Bitcoin and Me* read less like a farewell than a project update, and it has since been read by hundreds of thousands of people worldwide. [15] That tone -- purposeful, unsentimental, and forward-facing -- is what patients, caregivers, and ALS advocates recognize as both rare and genuinely worth striving toward. [15] We are here for you in that same spirit, because together in the fight is not just a phrase -- it's the commitment Finney demonstrated every day he kept writing code.

Join the Running Bitcoin Challenge and Access ALS United's Full Network of Support

How to register for the Running Bitcoin Challenge and connect with local ALS United member organizations

Registration for the Running Bitcoin Challenge opens at secure.alsnetwork.org, where you can sign up, set up a [personal fundraising page](https://alsunited.org/blog/create-a-fundraiser/), and download the Good Move app to log activity and share progress all in one place. [8] Once registered, our broader network connects you to local ALS United member organizations offering care services, peer support groups, and community events near you. [16] Participants complete their half-marathon distance -- by running, walking, rolling, or hiking -- at any pace and location, then share updates through the community on X at @RunningBTC21k using #runningbitcoinchallenge. [8] For questions about local event connections or in-person endurance activities in your area, reach out directly to events@alsnetwork.org. [16]

Comprehensive resources available through ALS United: medical care, counseling, and community events

ALS United's member organizations deliver three core areas of support: coordinated medical care, emotional counseling, and local community events that connect patients and families throughout the year. [17] Services are personalized to individual needs and delivered locally, with member organizations collaborating across research, care, and advocacy to improve quality of life at every stage of the disease. [17] Practical resources extend to home care assistance for daily living activities, therapy referrals, and insurance navigation support -- areas that matter most as the disease progresses. [18] Exploring [our care services](https://alsunited.org/blog/our-care-services) is the fastest way to find what's available through the member organization closest to you. [17]

Transform your participation into meaningful action: fundraising, advocacy, and peer support opportunities

Personal fundraising pages work because people give when someone they trust makes the ask -- a dynamic that peer-to-peer campaigns consistently demonstrate outperforms general donation links. [20] Participants who hit specific milestones earn exclusive incentives, with the top 25 fundraisers receiving a Hal Finney collectible signed by Fran Finney. [19] Each page you share extends ALS awareness into networks that may have no existing connection to the disease, converting individual effort into broader advocacy. [20] Whether you run, roll, or fundraise from home, your participation connects directly to the research and peer support that matter most to people living with ALS. [19]