Four Half Marathons in a Month

In April 2009, Gary Williams undertook four half marathons in a month to raise money for AICR. This is what Gary had to say about his fantastic fundraising effort.

“What started off as some bad diary management I found I had entered 2 half marathons in a month, turned into a bit of a challenge when I mentioned this to a friend who said glibly that I may as well fill in the other two weekends with half marathons. This at first seemed ludicrous but as I considered it, it made a huge amount of sense as each would in turn be a form of training for the next. So I set about finding 2 more half marathons that fitted around the first 2 – the more people I mentioned this to the more I thought about doing this for charity as everyone thought I was mad and it would take a lot out of me. My wife at the same time was raising money and supporting AICR which she felt an affinity to due to her sister suffering from cancer whilst living in Rhodes, Greece. My sister-in-law had been diagnosed with cancer and had been through a very traumatic ordeal not least of all as most of her treatment had to happen in Athens on the mainland and also that the rest of her family were back in the UK.

During my training I wanted to help support my wife’s fund raising to AICR and indirectly through the great work AICR do in International Cancer Research feel as though I was helping my sister-in-law. This added a little intensity and pressure to my training which I wasn’t anticipating when I first started but did help focus my attention on doing the best I could. My races began in Sheffield, then to Uttoxeter, Leeds and finishing in Chester – all completed in a month and raising £1280 in donations plus an additional £300 in gift aid and my employer matched the donation raised and gave AICR a cheque to double the amount I was able to raise. I hope in some small way my efforts have helped AICR continue their great work around the world”

If you have been inspired by Gary then why not take part in a running event for us?