Christchurch teacher running equivalent of 52 marathons in a year (From Bournemouth Echo)

Christchurch teacher running equivalent of 52 marathons in a year

4:00pm Thursday 24th January 2013 in News By Katie Clark

A CHRISTCHURCH resident has embarked on a challenge of a lifetime to raise money for the local Macmillan unit.

Tim Farrer, who is deputy head at Queen Elizabeth School in Wimborne, has pledged to run the equivalent of 52 marathons in a year – four 11k runs a week.

And despite his own exertions, he is also keen to encourage others to raise funds for the local cause in whatever ways they can.

Tim is undertaking the challenge in memory of his father who was a keen gardener.

And if Tim manages to raise £1,000, the money should pay for planting at the hospital unit for a year as well as new parasols and garden furniture.

He said: “I started running in April 2012 to get fit and lose a bit of weight. I hadn’t ever really run before. I started very small, running no more than a mile and then just started to go further as I got fitter.

“By September I was up to 10k and did my first 10k run in Boscombe. The New Year approached and I decided to challenge myself and a marathon equivalent a week sounded good so that’s what I’m doing.

“I decided on Macmillan as the charity as they cared for my father.

“They’re amazing people who offer such kindness and support.

“It seemed natural to me that this would be the way dad would want the money spent.”

Neal Williams, trust secretary at Macmillan Caring Locally said: “The important thing I would like to get across is that we are a small independent charity and not part of the national one.

“We are absolutely overwhelmed by the generosity of our supporters and Tim is undertaking an incredible challenge for us.

“Everyone who fundraises for us has their own story.”

To donate money go to justgiving.com/tim-farrer