LONDON: A British man set has himself the task of running four international marathons in the space of six weeks to raise money for people fleeing war and conflict, victims of natural disaster, and displaced people and refugees in the Middle East, Asia, Africa, and the UK.
Ash Wallace plans to run the London, Berlin, Chicago, and New York marathons from Sept. 25 to Nov. 6, having already completed the London 10K on July 10, and will also be taking part in the Great North Run, London Half Marathon, and the Bradford 10K run, starting from Sept. 4, in preparation for his marathons.
“Ash’s determination to complete this mammoth challenge has been driven by his commitment to supporting international humanitarian charity Penny Appeal, and their campaign to help rebuild homes for refugees,” the charity said.
Wallace, a father of two from Yorkshire in England, aims to raise enough money to build several homes for those most in need and to support people in crisis. To date, he has raised over £20,000 ($24,115) for the UK-based Penny Appeal by taking part in various challenges.
“After signing up for the Bradford 10K in 2015 — his hometown — he began to run more and more frequently, challenging himself to run marathons and channelling his efforts into fundraising for this significant cause,” the Penny Appeal said.
It added that “he was just a regular dad who took up running to lose weight but turned his personal health challenge into a drive to help others around the world.”
Wallace, who has continued running every day despite the current extreme heat affecting the UK said: “One of the reasons I lost the weight was to make sure when my kids have kids that I’m still around. I now find, if I don’t run, that I’m disappointed in myself — it has become a bit of an addiction that can make a difference to himself and others.
“I’ve just been running three times a week; it gives me peace and allows me to spend time on my own. It also really helps me clear my mind and think about many things in life, including making the world a better place for others,” he said.
