Marathon man returns home triumphant

1,200 mile run results in £20,000 for Macular Society

“MY knees ache. I probably have the knees of an 80-year-old now.”

When Stanford Dingley man Edward Beresford-Bolton set out on his epic 1,200-mile run – the equivalent of 34 marathons in 34 days – he couldn’t have imagined how successful his charity run would be.

Beginning in John O’Groats on September 21 and finishing at Land’s End on October 24, the 43-year-old has now raised more than £20,000 for the Macular Society after returning home.

The charity is close to his heart after he recovered his eyesight following two years of treatment, despite being told he would go blind.

“I didn’t set a target. Really I had no idea how much we would raise” Mr Beresford-Bolton told the Newbury Weekly News.

“While I was doing it I constantly wanted it to end, but now it’s over I quite miss the adventure, because it really was an adventure.

“Now I am recovering... I have just about recovered.”

He spoke highly of the support he had along the way and paid thanks to the people who had come out and run with him.

“Particularly my wife Natalie,” he said. “She has been absolutely amazing and without her help it would have been pretty much impossible.”

Speaking of the toughest moments he faced throughout the challenge, he said: “Every day at 2pm it would be difficult.

“I never actually considered quitting but every day at that time it would get extremely difficult, when you are faced with the physical exhaustion.

“It really is a mental battle and if you start thinking you will quit, then you are in trouble.

“The trick was to not look any further than now and not to think too much about how much further there was left to go.”

Now his challenge his over he admits he is going to relax for a time, but adds he is interested in getting more involved in local schools after the positive response he got from some of the schools in the area along the way.

“There’s some great lessons in this experience,” he said.

For further information on the walk, or to donate, you can visit the dedicated website at www.34marathons.com/