Wigan fund-raiser prepares to run 53 miles to Leeds for charity

Aaron Woodward, who lives in Newtown, had never run further than a half marathon when he decided to take on the back-to-back running challenge in June.

It was not easy, with gruelling weather conditions and a twisted ankle hindering him on the second day, but he completed both of the 26.2-mile runs.

Buoyed by that success, the 28-year-old is now going to embark on an ultra-marathon, with plans to run 53 miles from Wigan to Leeds in just one day.

He will set off at around 2am on Saturday, August 15 and hopes to complete the run within 15 hours.

Aaron said: “After the double marathon I felt really driven. I completed that and I thought, ‘why not take it one step further?’

“I was training for about a month and managed to do two marathons.

“What can I do in four or five months of training or longer?

“I thought I would use it to my advantage.”

Aaron says he is nervous about the challenge, particularly as his marathons were along the relatively flat canal paths and this time he will face hills and run on the roads.

But he is determined to complete the distance, even if an injury forces him to walk.

Aaron is taking on the endurance feat to encourage people to speak out about mental health issues and raise money for CALM, a charity working to prevent suicide among men in the UK.

It is a cause close to the joiner’s heart as he tried to take his own life earlier this year, spent six weeks in hospital and was diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder.

And his sister Tracy was just 36 when she died by suicide in 2015.

Aaron said: “Wigan has quite a high suicide rate for males.

“I hear about it all the time and it’s so sad.

“I’m trying to raise awareness for all the males in Wigan.”

He has already raised £1,400 for CALM and hopes more people will sponsor him as he takes on his next challenge.

But the fund-raising will not stop there, with Aaron already planning to run the 84 miles along Hadrian’s Wall over three days in November and perhaps one day take part in triathlons and even an Ironman.

Donations can be made at www.justgiving.com/fundraising/aaronwoodward.