Weston’s marathon stars return home
7x7x7 marathon challenge runner Jason Smith. - Credit: Archant
‘WE HAVE achieved the unthinkable’ – the words from an incredible endurance athlete after a team of runners crossed the finish line of their seventh marathon in seven days on Sunday.
7x7x7 marathon challenge runners Gareth Star, Rachel Smith and Darren Abbott get a warm welcome. - Credit: Archant
The epic challenge was taken on by Weston quartet Jason Smith, Darren Abbotts, Rachel Smith and Gareth Starr – all who went through months of hard training to prepare themselves for seven gruelling marathons, one after the other, for seven different charities.
7x7x7 marathon challenge runner Jason Smith. - Credit: Archant
Jason, of Juniper Place, who has taken on several adventures such as climbing Mont Blanc and Kilimanjaro, said it was the ‘toughest thing’ he has ever done but was worth it to support the good causes.
7x7x7 marathon challenge runners Jason Smith, Darren Abbott, Gareth Star and Rachel Smith, with some of their team of supporters. - Credit: Archant
The dedicated group chose to raise cash for Weston RNLI, the Children’s Hospice South West, The Alzheimer’s Society, The Lullaby Trust, The Motor Neurone Disease Association, The MPS Society and Weston Hospicecare.
They returned to the town on Sunday evening – after running 183.4 miles across Somerset - and despite some painful injuries Jason said their support team and a run in a new location, drove them on.
He said: “It still feels like a dream. Coming towards Uphill was a huge relief and I carried on through the pain.
“The support we had from guest runners was amazing and I want to say thank you to them and particularly to Bill Doody, who went back for some runners to help them finish.
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“When I got to the finish line I hugged my wife Sarah and gave her a big kiss, she has lived the last nine months of the 7x7 challenge. I didn’t want to celebrate until all of the team were across the finish line.”
So far the team has raised a total of £10,000 but Jason said sponsorship forms are still out and he would love to see a couple more zeroes added to the end of the figure.
To give a donation visit www.jasonsmith.me.uk
