A DJ for Melksham’s Rock ‘n’ Roll Club has nearly completed a gruelling 875-mile running challenge for a cancer charity and will complete his final miles at the Loch Ness Marathon this month.
Jason Reeves has been running a virtual challenge from Land’s End to John O’ Groats and has raised over £2,000 for Macmillan Cancer Support, after losing several friends from the Rock ‘n’ Roll Club to cancer.
“Last year, Gloria Crossley, who was well known in Melksham, died and she was the final inspiration for me to take on the challenge,” said Jason. “I have had lots of people come up to me and thank me for raising the money because they have cancer; so many people have had it or had been affected by cancer.”
Half marathons
Jason, aged 62, has been covering the mileage by entering running events across the region, logging his progress on a virtual map. So far, his runs have included the Salisbury and Frome half marathons, Westonbirt, the Warminster Carnival 10k Chase, Bratton Hilly Run and more.
Before starting the challenge as a New Year’s resolution in January, Jason had taken a break from running. “It’s been like starting again and everything has been a personal best,” he said.
25 miles a week
“When I was about 30 years younger, I was a club runner. I did the London Marathon in 2 hours 52. I hadn’t run for 30 years and I was wondering whether I could still do one when I was 60. My brother then died from Motor Neurone Disease in 2023, and I did a run for MND. After that I didn’t do anything until I thought I would do something for cancer. Then one day I got home and saw this virtual event advertised on Facebook, so I went for it.”
Jason has been running every other day, totalling 25 miles a week. “I am 62 now and if I try and run every day, I just get injured. I have entered as many things as I can to get different routes to run. I have done the Salisbury half marathon, the Frome half marathon, Westonbirt, the Warminster Carnival 10k chase, and various others. Frome was a tough run; it was very hilly.”
As a virtual challenge, Jason has been logging his miles on a map and, at the time of speaking to Melksham News, he had virtually run the distance to Inverness.
“It’s funny at the various events I have done because people sprint past me and I think that they have no idea I have run to Inverness. With it being a virtual challenge, you don’t get the same prowess because people say ‘oh you aren’t actually running there then’ but if anything, I am running harder because I am actually entering proper races.
“When celebrities do this sort of thing, they usually have a big media crew, can take time off work and have a big welcoming in each town they run to, but when you are a regular member of the public, you can’t do that. As a virtual challenge, I have had to get myself out there come rain or shine and it has been quite hard in the heat.”
Loch Ness Marathon
Jason is now tapering his miles ahead of his final 26-mile stretch at the Loch Ness Marathon on Sunday 28th September.
He said, “It’s going to be amazing when I finish, as I will have virtually covered the full distance from Land’s End to John O’Groats.”
To help Jason raise funds for MacMillan Cancer Support, visit https://www.justgiving.com/page/jason-reeves-1735768100534
Pictured: Jason during the Bratton Hilly Run
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