Newtown firefighter Craig Neil says completing a gruelling fundraising challenge by running the equivalent of 12 marathons in one month was on par with serving in the armed forces in Afghanistan.
Craig crossed the finishing line at Newtown Fire Station on Wednesday (January 31) to cheers from his fellow crew members and his family after running a total of 496 kilometres throughout January.
The 496 Challenge which has so far raised more than £1,000 for The Fire Fighters Charity involved running 1km on day one, 2km on day two and so, increasing to 31km on day 31.
“I can easily say this has been one of the hardest things I have ever done!” Craig said.
“This has been more challenging than joining the Armed Forces, the Fire and Rescue Service and on par with spending over six months on duty in the sandy deserts of Afghanistan.
“It has certainly taken its toll mentally and physically so I’m going to be putting my feet up for a while and start looking for some new running shoes – mine are a little worn now!
“I’d like to give a special thank you to my wife, Sioned, who has been holding the fort at home and taking care of our young son, Ioan, all while being heavily pregnant, to Dave Latham who has joined me on the majority of my early morning runs and to my fellow crew members at Newtown Fire Station for their unwavering support.
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“What I’ve learned from completing this challenge is that you can always do better than yesterday by going the extra mile, or kilometre in this case!
“There’s still time to donate to my GoFundMe page, if you’re only able to spare the price of a pint or a coffee, I’d be so grateful.”
Throughout his challenge, Craig has been raising funds for The Fire Fighters Charity - which provides lifelong support for serving and retired members of the UK’s fire and rescue services.
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