Runner gears up for 250km charity challenge from Shrewsbury to London - all on foot
A Shropshire runner is aiming to complete his biggest charity challenge yet, charging from Shrewsbury to London on foot in just four days.
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James Nickless-Allen is running just under 250km from his Shropshire home town to his current home in England's capital city to raise funds for the Severn Hospice.
The 249.7km long run will equate to an average of 62.4km (38.8 miles) per day and start at Lord's Hill Column in Shrewsbury on November 7, and end at the Royal Albert Hall on November 10. In training for the charity challenge, James says he typically runs 50km each week.
James is raising money for the Severn Hospice who his grandparents received care from as well as a close family friend.
Earlier this year, he completed three half-marathons in three days - which all had to be under one hour and 45 minutes - to raise money for the charity, and was inspired to take on his latest challenge by his commute to London, where he works for an auction technology company.
James' dad will follow him on the four-day journey with which the runner is hoping to raise more than £2,000.
Speaking about his previous marathon challenge, the 38-year-old said: "I thought that I needed to make it a bigger challenge than that.
"I know it's a big challenge, but I'm trying to not think about how big it is.
"I've been quite lucky in my life where I've not been affected by early deaths in my family, but my grandparents were looked after by Severn Hospice before they passed away - and also recently a close family friend was in the hospice for a short period of time.
"It seemed like a good opportunity to raise some money for them.
"I'm really looking forward to it, the fact I'm raising money keeps me going. I see how my parents, my family, my friends' family are all reacting to it, and they are so happy that I am doing it.
"It's almost like it keeps their names living on and tries to make a bit of good out of a terrible situation. It's them that are keeping me going and forcing me to do the training when I don't feel like doing it on some days."
James originally set out to raise £500 but surpassed his initial target within weeks, and so he has raised the bar to £2,000.
The lifelong keen runner and former county cross-country athlete will be posting his progress on social media.
You can donate and find further information at justgiving.com/page/james-nickless-allen-shrewsbury-to-london.
