The Bournemouth half marathon sets off this Sunday with the aim to raise money for charities.
It’s open to both adults and children to give them the opportunity to participate in running and build up their confidence.
22-year-old Brayden Foster-Clark will take on the challenge, running the full 13.11 miles all in aid of Macmillan Cancer Support.
What began as a £300 fundraising goal has already been surpassed, and Brayden couldn’t be happier.
Speaking to Buzz, Brayden said: “If there’s ever an opportunity to help people without anything in return, I’ll do it,” he said. “This is about making a difference.”
Although he’s never taken part in a race of this scale before, Brayden’s determination stems from his passion to push both his mental and physical limits.
“I’ve always wanted to see how far the body could go once you overcome the mental voices telling you to stop,” he explained. “There’s a special kind of growth that comes from being uncomfortable.”
With nine months of fitness training under a former Royal Marine coach, Brayden feels ready for the challenge.
“I might not have been the fastest at the time,” he admitted, “but it won’t be about how fast you get there, it’ll be about just getting there and feeling proud at reaching the finish line no matter how long it takes.”
19-year-old Elliot Dunne shares the same views.
“The reason I’m running is due to the fact that I wanted to do more with my life,” he said. “I just wanted to achieve something that I never thought I’d be able to do.”
Organisers of the marathon, Run Bournemouth, will also host the junior 1.5k run on Saturday for 6–8-year-olds
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