Fulham Man Running Six Marathons in Six Days
Jeremy Maddocks attempting the feat in the heat of the Sahara
Jeremy Maddocks on a practice run along the Thames
December 23, 2024
A man from Fulham is preparing to take on a superhuman challenge to raise funds for a charity working in Ukraine.
59-year-old cybersecurity consultant Jeremy Maddocks is attempting the attempting the Marathon des Sables next year which involves running six marathons in six days in the heat of the Sahara.
Participants in the 156-mile ultra-marathon have to run in temperatures of up to 50 degrees which is considerably higher than that seen during a jog through Bishops Park.
Jeremy has been getting into peak condition by doing runs along the Thames from his home near Craven Cottage in Doneraile Street.
Next April, under a ferocious sun, he'll start running for six days, up and down sand dunes, carrying a 10kg backpack with all his supplies to support the people of Ukraine.
"It's for the Hell's Kitchen charity in Kharkiv, Ukraine, where my son Hamish spent months working as a volunteer, providing food for people whose homes have been destroyed by war," he said.
"I am training along the riverbank every day, doing between 10 and 20 miles. People can spot me with my trademark orange backpack and two dogs!"
Jeremy’s son Hamish volunteering with the Hell's Kitchen charity in Kharkiv, Ukraine
The race is entirely self-sufficient, with Jeremy having to carry all food, water and supplies on his back through sandstorms, dunes and across rugged terrain. At night he'll sleep in a tent under the open sky. He'll carry freeze-dried food to minimise weight, but that means he'll also have to carry something to cook it in.
"I've never done it before. My brother did it a few years ago – he was in the Team GB triathlon team. He got me thinking about it, and he's given me a few tips."
Jeremy started training this May but his brother’s tip to do as much running as possible on sand has not proven that practical in SW6.
He was in his school cross-country team and has always been a local jogger round the Thames river bridges, but the ex-Royal Marines officer admits, "I'm actually nervous as hell about it!
"The heat is something which will be very difficult to cope with. You fix gaiters to your trainers, but no matter what you do the sand gets in. Then you get blisters, and that's the most painful thing."
Jeremy Maddocks
The Hell's Kitchen charity cooks hot meals for Ukrainian residents under fire, producing more than 1,000 meals a day, distributing medical supplies and clothing.
"What I endure in the desert for six days is nothing compared to what those brave people suffer every day," said Jeremy, who spent 15 years of his working life in the former Soviet Union and Ukraine.
"Your generosity won't just fuel me through the burning sands of the Sahara, it will send an unshakable message of solidarity to the people of Kharkiv and ensure that the charity can continue to stand strong in the face of unimaginable adversity."
You can support Jeremy's expedition here.
Value Reading Articles Like This? Help Us Produce More This site remains committed to providing local community news and public interest journalism. Articles such as the one above are integral to what we do. We aim to feature as much as possible on local societies, charities based in the area, fundraising efforts by residents, community-based initiatives and even helping people find missing pets. We've always done that and won't be changing, in fact we'd like to do more. However, the readership that these stories generates is often below that needed to cover the cost of producing them. Our financial resources are limited and the local media environment is intensely competitive so there is a constraint on what we can do. We are therefore asking our readers to consider offering financial support to these efforts. Any money given will help support community and public interest news and the expansion of our coverage in this area. A suggested monthly payment is £8 but we would be grateful for any amount for instance if you think this site offers the equivalent value of a subscription to a daily printed newspaper you may wish to consider £20 per month. If neither of these amounts is suitable for you then contact info@neighbournet.com and we can set up an alternative. All payments are made through a secure web site. One-off donations are also appreciated. Choose The Amount You Wish To Contribute. If you do support us in this way we'd be interested to hear what kind of articles you would like to see more of on the site – send your suggestions to the editor. For businesses we offer the chance to be a corporate sponsor of community content on the site. For £30 plus VAT per month you will be the designated sponsor of at least one article a month with your logo appearing if supplied. If there is a specific community group or initiative you'd like to support we can make sure your sponsorship is featured on related content for a one off payment of £50 plus VAT. All payments are made through a secure web site. |