Making every loss count: Rockies fan runs his way through tough season

DENVER Most Colorado Rockies fans deal with losses by turning off the television or looking ahead to the next game. Campbell Thurman decided to do something different.

The lifelong Rockies fan has turned every defeat into a fitness challenge, running one mile for every run the Rockies lose by.

"I've run 161 miles so far," Thurman said.

WATCH: Denver7's Bradey King catches up with the med student making every Rockies loss count

What started as a social media experiment quickly became a test of endurance as the Rockies stumbled through one of the toughest stretches in franchise history.

"I was really interested in getting involved on social media and just creating an account that was publishing frequently," Thurman said. "I was thinking a bunch of different ideas. Should I do medicine? Should I do sports? Should I just try to be funny? And I thought the best idea that I had was running for the Rockies."

At first, the challenge seemed manageable.

"It seemed a little crazy at first, but I did the math, and I was like, 'Yeah, this isn't too bad,'" he said.

The Rockies had other plans.

With losses mounting throughout the season, Thurman has found himself spending more and more time on the road. His longest run came after a 19-6 Rockies loss, which translated into a 13-mile outing.

A Colorado native now entering his second year of medical school at Brown University, Thurman has followed the Rockies for as long as he can remember. One of his favorite memories came on Father's Day in 2017 when Nolan Arenado hit a walk-off home run to complete the cycle.

"When Colorado is good, the energy around Denver is just something that's so magnetic," Thurman said. "I really appreciate how the energy of the city feels."

That energy has been harder to find during the Rockies' recent struggles, but Thurman has discovered an unexpected benefit from the challenge.

"Sometimes I really enjoy it," he said. "Around mile six, I start feeling really energetic. This is that runner's high that everyone talks about. Then I get to these 10-mile runs and my knees hurt and I'm out of breath, and I'm just kind of sucking the air through a straw."

The challenge also allows Thurman to combine his interests in sports and medicine. His social media account, "Rockies Fan MD," documents both his runs and health-related topics, including heart health, skin care and the importance of wearing sunscreen during Colorado's summer months.

Despite the team's record, Thurman remains optimistic about both his own progress and the future of the franchise.

"If someone's going to get better, at least I will," he said. "Whether it's a better mental state, better exercise or better physical fitness, that's kind of the ultimate goal."

He also believes brighter days could be ahead for the Rockies.

"We've made a lot of changes in the front office, we have a lot of good prospects coming through the pipeline, and I feel like there is, for the first time in a long time, a little bit of hope," Thurman said.

For now, the Rockies are still searching for wins. Thurman, meanwhile, continues turning losses into miles and finding motivation with every step.