Man ran length of the country via the three peaks

Michael Ford completed the challenge in 19 days, 2 hours and 26 minutes

A Nottinghamshire man took the challenge of running from John O'Groats to Land's End a step further - by throwing in the three peaks challenge along the way.

Michael Ford, of West Bridgford, started in John O'Groats on 12 May, with his challenge taking him up and down Ben Nevis, Scafell Pike and Snowdon.

In total he ran 998.7 miles (1607km), an average of about 52 miles a day (83.6km), in 19 days.

He took on the challenge for a blood cancer charity, after his mother had the disease, and a mental health charity.

Michael Ford's mother was diagnosed with lymphoma, a type of blood cancer, in 2020

Mr Ford was raising money for The Hike with Mike Foundation mental health charity after losing two close friends to suicide during the Covid lockdown.

He was also fundraising for Lymphoma Action after his mother was diagnosed with lymphoma, a type of blood cancer, in 2020.

He said: “Thankfully, she is now in remission... but she is currently on active monitoring for follicular lymphoma.

"Lymphoma Action really helped my mum get through her chemotherapy and radiotherapy so I wanted to give back as much as I can.”

The funds will be split between the two, and so far he said about £14,500 had been raised.

Michael Ford said by about day eight the loneliness "was getting to me"

Mr Ford said: "I have always wanted to do the national three peaks challenge.

"I had the idea of running John O'Groats to Land's End and thought 'why don't you throw in the three peaks as well?'"

According to monitoring website Fastest Known Time, the fastest recorded time for Mr Ford's specific challenge was 23 days.

Guinness World Records said it does not currently monitor this challenge.

Mr Ford said at points he was joined by friends and family but did about 400 miles alone, "which was quite tough"

He said on the journey he pulled a muscle in his back, meaning he ran for 54 miles one day with his arm in a sling.

After he finished the challenge, the next day he did the 5km Land's End parkrun, taking the miles he ran in total to more than 1,000.

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