Pat, who has worked at M&S for 12 years and currently serves in Service & Safety, only started taking running seriously four years ago. Incredibly, he has already completed 12 marathons in 2024 alone – and now, he’s pushing himself further than ever before.
The inspiration for the challenge came after Pat attended an Action Cancer event celebrating 15 years of partnership with M&S. Deeply moved by the charity’s work, he felt compelled to do something meaningful in support. When his running friends, Gareth Brown and John Mulholland set themselves the 7-in-7 challenge for their own causes, Pat jumped at the chance to join them.
To prepare and kick-start his fundraising, Pat has been completing treadmill marathons in-store every Saturday – spending up to five hours running non-stop to encourage donations. His first session alone raised an incredible £1,088, setting the tone for what promises to be a truly inspiring effort.
Pat’s first marathon journey begins on 26th May, with his final 26 mile run on 1st June. As if running seven marathons wasn’t tough enough, Pat hasn’t even taken time off work – meaning he’ll be starting most of his runs at 3:30AM before heading straight into his shift.
Speaking about the challenge, Pat said: "I only started taking running seriously four years ago, and even now, I wouldn’t call myself a ‘proper’ runner. My style is very much like Forrest Gump – my wife asks me how far I’m going, and I just say, ‘I’m not sure – I just keep running until I decide to head back home.’ It could be 2 miles or 20 miles!
“That said, taking on seven marathons in seven days feels pretty surreal – but I love pushing myself. I was genuinely inspired by the work of Action Cancer and wanted to do something meaningful to help. The support so far has been amazing, and I hope people will get behind me for the final stretch. Not bad going for a 54-year-old, eh?”
To mark the final day, Pat is inviting friends, family and supporters to join him for the final stretch of his run. You can either join for the full 10km loop, starting and finishing at Lesley Forestside, or for the last 5km, meeting at Motion Fitness on Ravenhill Road and finishing at Lesley Forestside.
To donate and follow Pat’s journey, visit www.justgiving.com/campaign/7marathonsin7days