A RUNNER from Kingfield has run seven half marathons in six days, raising nearly £1,500 for the mental health charity Mind.
Malcolm Loader had intended to complete the 92-mile feat in seven days but ran the last two half marathons in one day.
He set out on consecutive days from his home, competing the half marathon distance of just over 13 miles (21 kilometres) in less than two hours each time.
Malcolm works in the supply chain for Colgate-Palmolive, helping to import liquid soap from Europe.
“I’m now working from home and it’s been incredibly busy, so running has been a great relief,” he said.
He completed the first run in one hour 44 minutes, among the fastest half marathon distance he has completed since he took up running about five years ago.
His decision to finish the challenge early was partly inspired by the prospect of a heavy workload the following day.
“I finished the sixth one and felt awful. I sat down and knew that I had meetings and lots to do the next day, so that I would have to have got up at 5am to do the last half marathon.
“I couldn’t face that and put my shoes back on and set off on the last run.”
Malcolm was rewarded with a surprise welcome home when his children, Josh and Elise, held out a finish tape for him to cross.
He chose Woking Mind as his charity because his mum and other people he knows are on their own at home and can get help from the charity in they need it.
“This is affecting people who don’t normally tend to suffer mental health problems,” said. “There are many people who haven’t touched another person for seven or more weeks. That resonated with me.”
Malcom completed his first full marathon last year, followed by a second six weeks later. He has also taken up ultra-marathons, completing a 53-kilometre event in six-and-a-half hours, raising £1,000 for Child Bereavement UK, and is planning to run a 100-kilometre race over two days.
He said he enjoyed seeing all the signs in houses praising the NHS staff and other key workers and the painted stones that are on display on pavements along his half-marathon route.
“I kept to the Woking area just in case I got into any difficulty and, although I’ve been here for 12 years, I got to see parts of Woking I never knew existed.”
The Loaders have become something of a running family with Malcolm’s wife Anne-Laure completing the Surrey Half Marathon last year and their children Elise and Josh representing their schools on the track and in cross-country.
To donate to Malcolm’s challenge, visit www.justgiving.com and search for Malcolm-Loader.