Wigan man raises more than £2k running 31 half-marathons in a month

Brad Evans ran a total of 406 miles across December – battling on occasions both foul weather and ill health – to raise money for Wigan Youth Zone where heworks.

The 406 miles is the equivalent of running 13.5 miles every day during the month including Christmas Day when he dressed up as Father Christmas.

Brad decided to raise money for the charity as he sees a lot of his younger self in the young people he works with.

He had to cope with torrential rain and gale-force winds as well as illnesses on various days in order to complete his challenge which ended in front of Wigan Youth Zone where he was greeted by some of the children with banners.

Brad said: “It was unbelievable. One week in I had to run through Storm Darragh, a week later I had to run with food poisoning.

"Then on day 20 I got hypothermia but all in all I managed to get through it all.

"On Christmas Day I was running in a Santa suit and then I finished in front of Wigan Youth Zone on New Year’s Eve.

"Over the past four weeks I’ve been taking it day by day and not even thought about the finish.

"When I saw them all there a wave of emotion came over me, I just sprinted to the finish line.”

Brad has managed to raise £2,750 for the Youth Zone, more than half way towards his £5k target.

He is showing no signs of slowing down and will be running the London marathon in April for Barnardo’s and the Edinburgh marathon in May for the eating disorder charity BEAT.

He also has other plans to raise money for the Youth Zone.

Brad added: “I’ve been full of adrenaline since I finished. I got so used to doing it every day now I know I don’t have to I’m like ‘oh I’ve got to do it again when I don’t’. It’s mental the amount of support I’ve had.

"I’ve got loads of ideas. I need to get a team together because I want to run the length of the UK. I also fancy swimming across the English Channel.”