For most people one marathon would be tough enough, but a Bury St Edmunds firefighter is celebrating after completing ten marathons in ten days.
The gruelling challenge saw Paul Shattock, a whole-time firefighter with Red Watch, raise money for Stand up to Cancer and the Fire Fighters Charity.
Mr Shattock, who organises the fire cadets programme for Suffolk Fire and Rescue Service, completed the challenge despite suffering an injury on day one.
Former Royal Marines commando Mr Shattock, who is not even a regular marathon runner, finished his tenth marathon of the Great Barrow Challenge on Saturday, July 8. He started ten days earlier on June 29.
“It was definitely very difficult,” he said. “But when you are raising money for charities it is all the motivation you need.
“It was a very long ten days. I completed each marathon in around four to five hours – my longest was 5:07 and my fastest was 4:31.”
To make the challenge even harder, Mr Shattock, who is now nursing a swollen ankle, also injured his calf a few miles in to the challenge.
So far he has raised £2,756 for the two charities, with £1,435 donated to Stand Up To Cancer (Cancer Research UK) and £1,321 for the Fire Fighters Charity.
“The challenge was tough, but it is nothing compared to what some people have to go through,” he said. “We all know someone who has been affected by cancer. I just wanted to do something to help.”
The Fire Fighters’ Charity helps rehabilitate firefighters who have been injured.
Mr Shattock said: “I have been a firefighter for 17 years, in this time many colleagues have been injured in their job role and the firefighters charity has helped support these firefighters and their families and enabled them to get back to work.”
He said he was incredibly grateful to the Suffolk fire service for their support, along with John MacDonald from Trees Treatment Rooms, who provided free sports therapy massage.
The challenge is the second marathon event Mr Shattock has completed, having taken on four marathons in four days several years ago.
• Paul Shattock is hoping to raise £2,500 for each of his chosen charities. To donate go to www.justgiving.com/teams/paulshattock
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