Bristol man running six ultramarathons in six days for charity
Mr Pilkington first raised money for Oliver's Wish when he learnt to box two years ago for a match with his iGaming industry colleagues. The group went on to raise £152,000 for the charity."This time I wanted a bigger challenge to try to raise even more money for them," he said.Mr Pilkington completed the London Marathon before, in 2013, but had been unsuccessful in his applications every year since.When he heard he had been successful for the 2025 event, he said he had just finished a book by ultra marathon sea swimmer Ross Edgely and was feeling "far too inspired"."I found a run that takes place in July, going from Paddington to Bristol using the canal pathways, and thought I could use that plan after the marathon," he said."The charity was really happy me for me to do it, so it very quickly came together."He said although he is in a "weird phase" of excitement and self-doubt as the challenge gets closer, his wife and children have continued to inspire him.
Mr Dowling, 50, from West Sussex, has said he hopes the challenge will not only raise money for his son's foundation but will "inspire others to be involved". "Simon's challenge is just incredible and once I learned what he was taking on, I knew I had to support him on this journey," he said.
Mr Pilkington said he is breaking his training down to experience the fatigue of long-distance running while focusing on avoiding injury."So far, wearing barefoot trainers, I've not had a blister yet," he said.He said he is focused on nutrition, practicing what he can eat while running, and using ice baths for recovery."Although I'm not a big cold water fan, they've been really helpful," he said. "But I can't take them with me.""Every day is about the brain and mindset getting you through it," he added.
Some people are planning on joining the duo for sections of the challenge."[We have] lots of friends joining on day six, because we're finishing at the pub in Westbury," he joked."And one thing I'm looking forward to is soaking up the atmosphere as I didn't really get a chance to enjoy that last time when I was running London Marathon, because I was so focussed on trying to get a personal best time."
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The National
a day ago
- The National
Glasgow Commonwealth Games in ‘existential crisis' after marathon snub
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Daily Mail
3 days ago
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The surprising royal who became the first - and only - member of the Royal Family to complete the London Marathon
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BreakingNews.ie
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If there are things outside of your control, focus on them a bit less, because there's not much you can do [about them] and recognise that it does get better. 'And when you go through down times, either flipping back to previous good times or looking forward to ones that are to come. 'If you're having a bad patch, even just visualising a time where remember the time that felt really good and really in control, think about that,' she suggests. 'I'll just count, over and over, up to 100 – that was my coping technique for grounding me in the here and there, one foot in front of the other.' Advertisement She is now based in Monte Carlo, Monaco, with husband Gary Lough and children Isla and Raphael, leaving the UK after the 2004 Athens Olympics – in which she famously withdrew from the race around the 23-mile mark. The location lends itself to an outdoorsy lifestyle and these days, she would rather run through forests than pound pavements. 'I really appreciate when you're out on a beautiful trail run, [I feel] extremely fortunate to be able to be out there in the beautiful countryside, breathing in clean air that, sadly, not everyone has access to.' View this post on Instagram A post shared by Paula Radcliffe (@paula_radcliffe) Health Equals says more than 12 million children in the UK are at risk of lifelong health problems due to toxic air, with more than 25,000 schools in areas that breach World Health Organization (WHO) air-quality guidelines. The campaigning coalition say the worst affected are Greater London, Greater Manchester, West Yorkshire and inner-city Birmingham. The impact on health can include asthma and other lung conditions, as well as an increased risk of heart disease and stroke, say the group, with Black, Asian and minority ethnic groups, as well as those of low incomes, more likely to be affected. For Radcliffe, the statistics hit hard. 'I spend a lot of my time trying to encourage people to get outside and kids to walk to school and to be more physically active, because of all the benefits that physical activity can bring. But breathing clean air is a basic right and if they're going to be active in an area that isn't safe for them, it's really scary.' Advertisement Running in heavily polluted areas might even be doing us more harm than good. 'It should be something that's good for you ≠ and it is, if you're exercising in clean air – but [if not] it actually works the other way. You're better off sitting down in a chair doing nothing.' As an asthmatic, she's conscious of the quality of air she's breathing in too. 'My asthma is induced largely by pollen, cigarette smoke is another [trigger] and pollution is a big one. So I became aware of it through my career, travelling to more polluted cities and noticing [the impact] it had on my asthma.' In her 50s, she likes to use running to explore new areas. 'It's a great way to explore new cities, new places when we're on holiday.' But also, 'as a mum of teenagers, there are times when you just want to escape everybody and shut the door on everyone!' And what about that elusive 'runner's high'? 'It's very unique to everybody,' she says, 'It's not like suddenly feeling euphoric. For me, it's more generally content, a little bit more relaxed, everyday things that annoy you, annoy me a little bit less.' View this post on Instagram A post shared by Paula Radcliffe (@paula_radcliffe) Paula Radcliffe's tips for beginner runners over 50 1. Prioritise good nutrition and sleep – 'Try and eat immediately after running because it helps the body to recover better.' 2. Complement running with strength exercises – 'Everyone just wants to get an outdoor run in, but build a little bit of core exercises, basic planks, foot strength exercises, calf raises.' 3. Remember to stretch before and after. 4. Set goals – 'I really recommend joining a running club or group and once you've got the motivation, work towards completing your local Park Run or doing a half marathon.' To be part of the solution, visit and use the hashtag #MakeHealthEqual.
