At first glance, a backyard ultra marathon sounds simple: run 2 different 10km loops until you can’t run anymore. No fixed finish line. No set distance. Just one more lap… and then another… and another.

But that’s exactly why I’m doing it.

I’m taking on this challenge to support the wonderful Charlbury School Association — and more importantly, to show the children of Charlbury that big dreams don’t belong to “other people.” They belong to anyone brave enough to chase them.

A backyard ultra isn’t about being the fastest. It’s about resilience. It’s about getting back to the start line when your legs are tired, when your mind is wobbling, and when stopping would be easier. It’s about proving to yourself that you can go further than you thought possible.

And that’s a lesson I hope every child at Charlbury can carry with them.

Whether their dream is to become a scientist, an artist, a footballer, a teacher, or something the world hasn’t even invented yet — I want them to know that extraordinary things start with ordinary steps. One lap at a time. One brave decision at a time.

Every donation will go towards supporting the school and enriching the experience of the children who learn there — helping create opportunities, resources, and memories that shape their futures.

So when the miles get tough, I’ll be thinking about them. About showing up. About perseverance. About believing that limits are often further away than we think.

If you’re able to support, thank you. If you’re cheering from the sidelines, that matters too. Together, we can show the next generation that no dream is too big — and no challenge too daunting — when a community gets behind it.

Let’s see how many laps we can do.backyard ultra marathon sounds simple: run a 4.167-mile loop every hour, on the hour, until you can’t anymore. No fixed finish line. No set distance. Just one more lap… and then another… and another.

But that’s exactly why I’m doing it.

I’m taking on this challenge to support the wonderful Charlbury School Association — and more importantly, to show the children of Charlbury that big dreams don’t belong to “other people.” They belong to anyone brave enough to chase them.

A backyard ultra isn’t about being the fastest. It’s about resilience. It’s about getting back to the start line when your legs are tired, when your mind is wobbling, and when stopping would be easier. It’s about proving to yourself that you can go further than you thought possible.

And that’s a lesson I hope every child at Charlbury can carry with them.

Whether their dream is to become a scientist, an artist, a footballer, a teacher, or something the world hasn’t even invented yet — I want them to know that extraordinary things start with ordinary steps. One lap at a time. One brave decision at a time.

Every donation will go towards supporting the school and enriching the experience of the children who learn there — helping create opportunities, resources, and memories that shape their futures.

So when the miles get tough, I’ll be thinking about them. About showing up. About perseverance. About believing that limits are often further away than we think.

If you’re able to support, thank you. If you’re cheering from the sidelines, that matters too. Together, we can show the next generation that no dream is too big — and no challenge too daunting — when a community gets behind it.

Let’s see how many laps we can do.