James sets himself marathon challenge

A Shropshire man has set himself a goal of running three races - totalling 209 miles - in just two months.

James Dowdall, from Wellington in Telford, works for a drainage firm by day but by night he hangs up his overalls and takes to the streets of Telford running up to 20 miles a day.

The 31-year-old has now set himself a goal to run 209 miles in three races during April and May for Severn Hospice and Help For Heroes.

His first race will be the London Marathon on Sunday, where he will complete the first 26 miles.

Following the gruelling event, his next challenge will see him take on the Malvern Hills Ultra on May 7.

It is normally 52 miles but James will be completing an extended route of 83 miles through the Worcestershire countryside.

The final event, just three weeks later, will be the Housman Hundred. This will be a mammoth 100 miles across some of south Shropshire's most picturesque landscapes, starting on May 28.

On the challenge, he said: "After completing a few local races I wanted to set the bar higher for myself.

"It just so happened that these three races ran pretty close together and anybody who I told that I planned to do them all told me I must be mad.

"That and my wife's encouragement led me to the decision to combine the three into one challenge and do it for my favourite charities."

Mike Perry, community fundraising advisor for Severn Hospice, said: "James has certainly set himself a real marathon challenge."

By Paul Mannion