A group of friends from the Market Drayton area have described their achievement of completing a UK marathon challenge.
Jack Tavernor, Matt Eardley and Rich Wakelin, all from Norton in Hales, were joined by Jonny Brindley from Ashley as they ran four marathons in four days in four countries.
The challenge was in aid of South Cheshire’s St Luke’s Hospice and more than £5,000 has been raised.
Jack, aged 28, who works as a land agent in Shrewsbury, came up with the idea after his father, Bill Tavernor, spent four days at the hospice last June before dying of cancer aged 62.
The quartet started in Wales on May 24, with a 27-mile run in Anglesey, with marathons on consecutive days in Northern Ireland and Scotland before the final leg took them from the hospice to the Hinds Head pub in Norton in Hales.
Jack said: “The marathon went very well, even though it was hard work from the very first day which was really hot.
“The worst part was the second leg, not because we were tired but because the route itself was pretty dull as we were following a path next to a river.
“The third leg in Stranraer, Scotland, was a nice route and the final leg started at St Luke’s Hospice where 30 members of staff were there to wave us off.”
Matt, 27, a Norton in Hales dairy farmer, had given up alcohol for four months to take part in the challenge and said he was relieved to be able to have pint again.
“It all went pretty much as we planned as the driving times and ferry times were pretty much as we thought,” he said.
“The weather played quite a big part and we were a bit short of sleep and food on the first two days.
“There were a whole lot of people at the Hinds Head to welcome us home and it made us feel like professional athletes.
People can donate to St Luke’s Hospice by visiting www.justgiving.com/4marathons4countries4days.
By Winston Brown
