Hero runner from Leighton Buzzard runs 33 marathons in a month for cancer charities
Marathon man Adam Jovic is on the final leg of his charity challenge from John O’Groats to Lands End in aid of Prostate Cancer UK and Macmillan Cancer Support.
The former Cedars Upper pupil set himself the target of completing 33 marathons in 33 days – and raising £3,000 in the process.
He’s already well on the way to doubling that and is on track to make Lands End on October 26.
He was inspired to run the length of the UK after joining ‘Hardest Geezer’ Russell Cook in Tunisia April – Russell gained the nickname while running the length of Africa. But more of that later.
Adam’s delighted to be nearing home territory with mid-run support and sweet surprises from family and friends.
Writing in his FB blog, the Sky Sports technical supervisor says: “It’s been a game changer for me mentally, getting closer to the Midlands.
"So much of what I’m doing is only do-able from the kindness of people around me. And I have to keep reminding myself it’s not as much a solo mission as I thought.”
He also revealed that recent days have been the most physically painful, and explains: “A tiny piece of wood got trapped in my left shoe heel. I didn’t realise it until I took my shoe off and discovered the biggest, nastiest blister cluster. Add a burning Achilles tendon from hill climbing and it made for two days of essentially limp running.”
Adam is being supported on his charity challenge by mum Elaine and dad Spiro, who’s had prostate cancer. His Aunt Carole has stage 4 breast cancer.
Adam says simply: “I want to raise money for Prostate Cancer UK because they saved my father’s life, and for Macmillan Cancer Support because they’re helping my aunt.
"Cancer has affected many others I know. And while we can’t always directly control the outcome, we can support these charities that do so much and mean so much.”
The 28-year-old started running on his 21st birthday when he went up Mount Snowdon.
Three years ago he did an ultramarathon to raise money for cardiac risk in the young and to buy a defibrillator for his Redwood Glade neighbourhood.
After joining Russell Cook in Tunisia earlier this year, Adam abandoned the race when a fellow competitor collapsed beside him, accompanying her to hospital.
Known only as Hannah, she has written an online eulogy saying she doesn’t remember what happened, only waking up surrounded by doctors and nurses.
She says: “I had no idea where I was but I knew I was OK. This guy gave up the race to take me to hospital and stayed with me the whole time.
"Apparently we’d met the day before and started the race together but I had no memory of anything. I owe my life to him and a few other special people who managed to get me to hospital.”
And she urged everyone to support Adam’s current challenge: “He’s now running the length of the UK and smashing the back out of it. Go show some love!”
> Visit https://givestar.io/gs/jogle-run--adam-jovic if you’d like to support this Leighton hero.