Nottingham CityCare Health Centre Manager Des Oldham has raised more than £4,000 for charity after completing his coast-to-coast run.
He was raising money for Footprints, which helps children living with mobility and communication difficulties across the East Midlands.
Des ran the coast-to-coast trail in October, which spans almost 200 miles, starting in St Bees in Cumbria and finishing in Robin Hood’s Bay in North Yorkshire. He had originally planned to start the challenge in September but injured his leg a month before the start date.
“The injury was a setback, but I knew it wouldn’t stop me from going ahead,” said Des.
During the run, he faced several more unexpected setbacks but managed to continue and finished just a day before he’d planned to go on holiday.
“The weather made things trickier than planned. I had to run through all sorts of terrain including rocky and unstable surfaces, some paths were flooded and swampy which made running very difficult. On top of this, the campervan that followed alongside me broke down.
“With all the difficulties faced, I knew there was a real possibility I’d miss my holiday but I was determined to finish, even if it meant missing my flight. Luckily, I finished a day before flying to Greece.
“The run was far more challenging than I imagined it would be, both physically and mentally. I’m extremely proud that I was able to achieve the goal I’d set myself. I proved that I can overcome tough challenges even with extra hurdles thrown in along the way.”
“I’m grateful to everyone who supported me throughout my training and during the run. I’d like to thank everyone who donated to the charity Footprints through my JustGiving page.”
To read more about Des’s story, visit: www.justgiving.com/page/desoldham-coast2coast
See more photos of Des’ coast-to-coast run on Instagram here: www.instagram.com/desoldham
Date published: 9 January 2025
