by John Prince
Running a marathon is a daunting challenge for anyone, but running six “ultra-marathons” in one year is nothing short of incredible.
For 55-year-old Mark Williamson from Hornsea, that is exactly what he is going to be doing to raise money for a cause close to his heart. He has set himself a target of running what is called an ultra-marathon each time, which are a lot further in distance than a standard marathon.
Starting in January, he will be running anything from 30 miles up to 200 miles in one go around North Yorkshire. Over 12 months Mark will have clocked up more than 465 miles.
It’s all to raise money for 12 charities affected by the ongoing Legacy Funeral Directors investigation in Hull.
Mark, who works as a funeral director himself with CM Allott and Son in Hornsea, said: “Next year is our company’s 50th anniversary, and we decided to put some money back into the community. We talked to the charities affected by the Legacy case and wanted to do something. Funeral directors aren’t bad people, and we are here to help families when they need us the most.
“I think the spotlight has been put on funeral directors in a negative way, sadly. I thought this would be a good thing to do. If someone has lost someone to say cancer or MND, then they’ll have the opportunity to give to one of those charities which they support.
“The longest run I’m doing is 200 miles in May over a period of four days. It has an elevation of 24,300ft so it’s not flat. The last time they held it, only four people finished. I’ve never done it before but I’ll give it a go, and I’ve got 60 hours to complete it.
“I’m running other marathons such as the one in York later this year, before I start on the ultras in January. I’m running in York with a young girl from Hornsea who’s only 17, and it’ll be her first marathon. I might do a couple more to keep my training up. I’ve got a great team behind me including my wife and my club runners, so it’s a real team effort.”
Mark is a member of the Hornsea Harriers and says he usually runs between 500 and 700 miles a year.
He added: “I’m feeling all right about it. It’s really a mental thing. A lot of people will be looking out for me, especially through the night when it might get a bit cold and I’ll need a cup of tea.
“If I have enough time I can rest, but it’s non-stop really. If I fell asleep I wouldn’t get back up again. You have to reach checkpoints and if you don’t get there on time, you get withdrawn from the race.
“When I’m running I eat normally, but little and often. I keep sipping water to keep my hydration up. For me I eat cheese, crisps, sausage rolls and packet mashed potato. In the summer I’ll have an ice cream.
“I’ll be training every week from now on. Preparations are going well. I enjoy doing it, and I always say anyone can do it. You just have to have the strength mentally and physically. The most important thing is keeping your feet dry because I will get a few blisters and sores.”
His colleague Tom Allott, 36, said: “Mark’s been doing this for a long time and he’s obviously very good at it. He’s doing something that he loves, and he’s doing it for the right reasons. To do that many miles over six races is unbelievable. It’s a great thing what he’s doing. I think it’s a little bit bonkers, but it’s really inspiring.”
You can find out more information about Mark’s epic challenge and how to donate at cmallottandson.co.uk.
Robert Bush, 47, formerly of Kirk Ella and now of Otley in West Yorkshire, has been charged with 65 offences in relation to the Legacy investigation, including burial offences, fraud and theft. He is due to appear in court again later this month.