Steve's Eight Marathon Challenge

I have set myself an Eight Marathon Challenge for 2023. These will be completed between April and November.

#1. London Marathon - London - Sunday 23 April 2023 - Worlds Biggest and Best Marathon. It will be my 26th London Marathon!  Completed in 4.32

#2. 5 Lakeland Passes 32 Mile Ultra Fell Marathon - Grasmere - Saturday 24 June 2023 - On my 64th Birthday! Around 8k feet of ascent – Much a training run for the Jungfrau Marathon! Completed 10.15

#3. Orkney Islands Marathon - Stromness - Sunday 3 July 2023 - UK's Most Northerly Marathon! Travelling up on my Royal Enfield 500 motorbike and also doing the NC500 on my way to and from Orkney. Completed 4.45

#4. Tennis Marathon - Lytham Tennis Club – Sunday 16 July 2023 - 26.2 miles of continuous Single and Doubles Tennis action that will take around 14 to 16 hours. Kindly assisted by members of Lytham Tennis Club. Completed 16.38

#5. Jungfrau Mountain Marathon - Interlaken - Switzerland - Saturday 9 September 2023 - Europe's Highest Marathon! A marathon run to a point just below the Eiger, the highest train station in Europe...then a well earned train journey
back down.

#6. York Marathon - York - Sunday 15 October 2023 - The annual Police Sport UK Championship event - A nice, fast and flat course I hope!

#7. OMM Two-Day Marathon - Snowdonia -  28/29 October 2023 - I have added this Mountain Marathon to my list. The event involves a 13-hour, navigational running in the mountains over two days, camping in the hills overnight. I am running with an old running partner, Pete Gilbert and will carry all gear and food for two days covering around 26 to 30 miles in total.

#8. Maspalomas Marathon - Gran Canaria - Sunday 19 November 2023 -  Europe's Southernmost Marathon! Finishing my Challenge with a run in 28 degrees sun and a well-earned dip in the Atlantic at the finish!

On my quest, I'm raising money for the British Heart Foundation and I'd be so grateful for your support.

This Charity is very close to heart as in 2013, I was diagnosed with Dilated Cardiomyopathy (enlarged left ventricle) and LBBB (Left Bundle Branch Block - Interruption to heart-beat) This is probably a hereditary condition that my brother was also diagnosed.

This chronic heart failure condition reduced my speed, particularly exercising on hills, but despite this, I am still able to run or cycle safely at a reasonable pace. This is thanks to medication and the assistance of the implanted cardiac pacemaker. Over the last ten years my heart is now starting to 'remodel' itself, functioning better than in 2013.

The British Heart Foundation play an important role in the research and provision of drugs and cardiac devices that I have been very lucky to have benefitted since my diagnosis. Coupled with my continued fitness, diet and general good health, I am able to continue to lead a fairly normal, active life despite this condition.

So now I want to pay something back by raising funds for the
BHF!

Thank you so much! This is going to be a tough Challenge as
some of the Marathons will require much grit and determination particularly the 5 Passes, Jungfrau and the Tennis Challenge.

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