Dedicated duo run up 100 miles in 24 hours in aid of charity fund

The daunting challenge by Brian Cumpsty, 56, and Jim Almond, 58, both members of Thornton Cleveleys Running Club, culminated in the Blackpool Parkrun at Stanley Park and was in memory of Brian’s mum Sarah, who died in September, aged 95.

On the way to their three-figure target, the pals covered circuits around Stanley Park totalling 50 miles over more than nine hours of the day before the weekly Parkrun before heading to Brian’s home at Cleveleys and covering streets around there until late in the evening.

Throughout, they were supported by fellow members of the Thornton Cleveleys Club and other runners, who joined them for a time and Jim said it was a great feeling when the Parkrun completed the 100 miles.

"After his mum died, Brian resolved to run four marathons or as we call them ‘marafuns’, in October to raise money for charity,” said Jim.

"The charity is called Love Hope Strength Cancer Foundation, founded by Mike Peters, lead singer from Brian’s favourite rock band The Alarm.

"I did the first in Chester with him, the second in Morecambe was cancelled and he completed others covering Langdale and Snowdon, raising just over £500.

“Since the Morecambe marathon was cancelled, he modified his remaining charity target to a 24-hour run with Parkrun afterwards.

"His aim was to beat his previous best 94 miles in 24 hours by running in miles the age of his mum when she died.

“It was originally planned for before Christmas but the ground was too frozen and it was rearranged for this month.

"I was delighted to join him and having chalked up 50 miles at Stanley Park on Friday and added more miles in the streets around his home that evening, we set off to run back to Stanley Park at 7am on Saturday.

“We did the Parkrun to complete it as planned, although by that stage, with us already having covered so many miles, whether you could call it a run is debatable.

“It was great that throughout the 24 hours we were supported by members of the Thornton Cleveleys club running with us for parts of it. That made it so much easier to cope with.”