by Maggie Porter

A Sheffield man is taking on the challenge to run seven marathons for the charity Mind in seven days. 

Bradley Thompson, aged 24, from Greenhill, Sheffield, has challenged himself to run the seven marathons covering over 183 miles in just a week. 

Bradley, having faced his own mental health struggles, is running for the charity Mind hoping to raise money and spread awareness of the charity and also to inspire others. 

Running started for Bradley during lockdown after the gyms closed and he turned to running. Running has had a positive impact on both his physical and mental well-being.

Bradley said: “To inspire other people to get out there and start running, it doesn’t need to be a marathon but just to get out of the house”. 

The challenge itself involves six self-organised marathons, the final day being the Milton Keynes marathon.  The training involves an 18-week plan with challenges not only physical but mental, Bradley said: “What can I do to push myself both physically and mentally than I ever have before.” 

The Charity Mind is a UK mental health charity that provides support for people experiencing mental health issues. One in four people experience mental health challenges in the UK each year and Mind works to help those in need. 

Bradley said: “What Mind offers is such an important thing and the more people are aware of what they do, if you are able to reach out to them, it doesn’t matter how big or small it is what you are going through, just speaking to somebody.”

Having completed marathons and ultramarathons before, Bradley sees this as the biggest challenge yet with inspiration coming from Russ Cook and Pete Kostelnick: “if they are able to run consecutively for months and months on end he can strive for seven marathons in seven days.”

Bradley will finish the marathon at Milton Keynes, with family coming down to support him. He said: “It’s always nice when you are running with a crowd and a different kind of atmosphere to what I will be experiencing prior to that.”

To donate to Bradley’s justgiving page: https://www.justgiving.com/page/bradleythompson7in7