A 29-year-old runner from Bath has launched a 500-mile mission, taking in 40 races in the space of 12 months in a bid to secure much-needed funds for mental health charity Mind.
Lee Price will face his biggest challenge next weekend when he tackles 69 miles in just one day as part of Rat Race’s The Wall.
The event sees 1,000 athletes pounding the paths alongside Hadrian’s Wall from Carlisle to Newcastle. Now in its sixth year, it’s billed as the most iconic ultra marathon in the UK.
Lee, who works for a publishing firm in Bristol, said: “Before this year I was into running but I had never run more than a half marathon. So this is a huge challenge for me.”
The race kicks of in the grounds of Carlisle Castle and winds through towns, villages, country trails and farmland, before reaching the Millennium Bridge – hopefully before nightfall.
Lee said: “Having done a half marathon I knew I could do it, but I really wanted to push myself. This is a big step up from that.”
Lee has already completed 17 races this year including seven 10k runs, the Two Tunnels Half Marathon in Bath, and the Marlborough Downs 20 Mile Challenge.
He also ran the White Peak and Edinburgh Marathons in the same week, squeezing in the Edinburgh 10k the day before.
Lee said: “Some people have questioned why I would do such a challenge but I’ve had such brilliant support, and am well on my way to smashing my £2,000 target.
“I’m hoping by the end of The Wall I will have surpassed it, and will go to try and double it by the end of the year.”
Lee’s incredible commitment is to raise money and awareness for Mind, which provides advice and support for people experiencing mental health problems. The cause is particularly close to Lee’s heart.
He said: “Members of my family and also friends have been affected by mental health issues at different times in their lives.
A few people in my family and some friends have been affected by mental health issues.
“Everyone goes through tough times in life, relative to their own mental health and I think Mind does a brilliant job supporting in so many different ways.
“There is still a certain stigma attached to talking about mental health, and I think that’s because it’s not treated in the same way as physical health. People find it hard to quantify what’s wrong.
“So it’s not just about people who have got a diagnosis. I’ve gone through certain situations in my life but have never been diagnosed with an illness, people need to have the resources to get help when its needed.”
Lee says running has become a way for him to keep in check his own stresses and anxieties, helping him to alleviate mental health problems.
He said: “I find managing my stress levels is really important and running is a really good way to do that. It allows me time to think through certain situations and clear my mind.
“Normally after going for a run I’ll feel in a better frame of mind. Physical exercise works so well for me and is so important.
“Different people work in different ways and for me physical exercise helps alleviate some of life’s daily stresses.”
Lee says he will need to prepare himself mentally for The Wall on 17th June – as these ultra marathons become a mental battle in themselves.
He said: “I’ve only done two marathons so far, in both of these races I have hit a mental block between 14 and 18 miles, what some call the ‘metaphorical wall’.
“It’s at a point when you have been going for quite a long time but there’s still a long way to go and you just need to continue.
“At times like that it’s always helpful to have lots of people cheering you on to get you through, and I know at Rat Race events there’s always a lot of help and support along the way.”
Lee says he’s confident he’ll complete his mammoth challenge by the end of the year by taking on 22 more challenges, including the Marathon as part of Relish Runnings Bath running Festival in July.
To support Lee visit, http://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/LeePrice500milechallenge.
