Ex-strongman runs 48 marathons in 48 days for children in food poverty

  • Video report by ITV News Anglia's Sarah Cooper

A former strongman is hoping to raise thousands of pounds for children in food poverty by running 48 marathons in 48 days in each of England's 48 counties.

John Clark's 41st marathon saw him running laps of Pitsford Reservoir in Northamptonshire this weekend.

He started the challenge in Northumberland on the 5th July and has one more week of marathons left, before the final finish line in his home county of Worcestershire on 21st August.

John started his challenge in Northumberland on July 5 and will finish in Worcestershire on August 21. Credit: ITV Anglia

John hopes to raise £48,000 to be split between food bank charity the Trussell Trust and the charity Miles4Meals.

"When I was younger my dad fell off a roof and became paralysed", John added.

"We fell on hard times as a family and relied on food banks and relied on governmental support and then, last year, reading that 980,000 children required food banks, it was something that resonated quite strongly with me and so I decided to try and do something about it."

People from around the country have been running alongside John. Credit: ITV Anglia

John has been sharing his journey on social media and inspiring others to run alongside him.

"What is a legend? I think that is a legend", Ian from Empowerment Training Centre, Northampton said.

"To be able to do that - the mental fortitude and, obviously, mental health is another thing that's been really pertinent in the pandemic - it's being able to show that actually, you know what, you have no ceiling and nothing at all is impossible."