Dad runs marathon in his garden for Children with Cancer UK

James Page, from Sidcup, Kent, had spent months training for an ultra-marathon, Marathon de Sables, which was set to take place next week, as well as the London Marathon, originally due to be held on 26 April. Both events have since been postponed due to the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak, but James didn’t want his hard-earned training miles to go to waste.

To put his marathon training to the test, and “out of boredom and the need for a challenge”, the Sidcup father ran 873 laps in his garden yesterday, completing the marathon distance of 26.2 miles in just under five hours. Despite wearing out the grass and tackling some tricky corners, James enjoyed the garden challenge, and says it provided his children with some much-needed entertainment.

Throughout his training, James has also fundraised for Children with Cancer UK and has so far raised more than £3000 for the childhood cancer research charity. James choose to support the charity after both of his parents were diagnosed with cancer, in close proximity.

Children with Cancer UK is particularly poignant for me as both my parents have been diagnosed with cancer in the last 18 months. I also have two young kids and I just cannot imagine what it would be like for them to go through what my parents have. The charity funds research to find new and better treatments for childhood cancers so children won’t have to suffer so much from current treatments which are largely based on adult cancers.

And in a further effort to put his training miles to use, James will also be taking part in a new virtual run, organised by Children with Cancer UK, which encourages people to run, wherever they are in the UK, on the original London Marathon day, 26 April.

The ‘Together as One’ run asks people to use their one form of daily exercise to make a difference, with any funds raised going toward lifesaving childhood cancer research. The run starts at 9.30am, lasts one hour and can be undertaken anywhere, in gardens, local parks or on treadmills.

To donate to James Page’s fundraising page, click here

-ENDS-

Editors’ Notes

Children with Cancer UK’s press office

E: media@childrenwithcancer.org.uk

T: 0207 404 0808 M: 07 795 956 342

About Children with Cancer UK

Children with Cancer UK is a leading national charity dedicated to research into childhood cancer. We fund vital research to find cures and develop kinder and safer treatments to minimise harmful and long-term side effects for young patients. For more information about Children with Cancer UK, visit childrenwithcancer.org.uk.