An ex-Middlesex cricketer is on a mission to run 24 marathons in the same number of days around Battersea Park to raise £24,000 for charities meaningful to him.
Jack Davies, 26, started the challenge on 3 September in aid of the Brompton Fountain and the Cricketers’ Trust and has now run more than 600km.
His motivation to meet his fundraising goal for both charities has kept him going. “I know there’s no chance that I’m stopping,” he said.
Jack retired from Middlesex Cricket on 19 August, having played for the team since he was 18.
“Everyone at the club is immensely proud of Jack for what he is doing, raising money for two incredible charities, bringing the curtain down on an excellent playing career,” Middlesex Cricket said.
“We will all continue to support him through to the end.”
Jack was introduced to the Brompton Fountain through one of his former Middlesex teammates.
The Brompton Fountain supports children receiving heart and lung care throughout London and the South East.
When asked why 24 marathons in as many days, Jack shared the statistics which estimate that roughly 24 babies every week will undergo heart surgery before their first birthday.
Jack is also raising money for the Cricketers’ Trust, a charity set up to give practical and financial support to current and former cricketers and their families.
The retired wicketkeeper confessed that he had never run a marathon before starting this challenge.
Speaking after completing his twelfth marathon, Jack said: “It’s not nice to think I’ve run 12 marathons and I’m halfway through.”
When he’s done he will have run more than 300 laps of Battersea Park in under a month.
Instead of finding the same route every day around the park monotonous, Jack said in an Instagram post while running with Spencer Matthews, that he can switch his mind off and enjoy.
Jack has been joined by a host of special guests on his marathons, including former teammates, rugby players, McFly drummer Harry Judd and TV personality Spencer Matthews.
Jordan Adams, who completed the London Marathon with a fridge on his back, ran with Jack on day one.
Other guests include: Fin Baxter, George Furbank, Oli Patterson, Callum Goddard, Steven Finn, Zak Crawley and Ben Earl.
Jack said his mum is staying with him for the duration of the challenge, and that he meets his parents most mornings for a coffee at the Pear Tree Cafe before setting off on his marathon of the day.
When asked about his future plans, Jack said: “I’m just going to get through 12 more marathons and we’ll see.”
And when asked about the toughest day so far, he said they had all been difficult for different reasons but maintained that it was all worth it.
Jack’s determination remains clear. “No matter how tired my legs are, how much pain I’m in, I have to do it,” he said.
Donations can be made via Jack’s crowdfunding page: https://www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/24off24?utm_medium=CF&utm_source=CL
Featured image credit: Theo Weatherall/Frission Creative Agency
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