On Saturday 13th May, ultra-athlete, campaigner and TV personality Josh Patterson completed his extraordinary ‘Run for 1 Million’ challenge
On Saturday 13th May, ultra-athlete, campaigner and TV personality Josh Patterson completed his ‘Run for 1 Million’ challenge, which saw him run 76 marathons in 76 cities on consecutive days.
Cheered on by his family, friends and Samaritans volunteers and staff, Josh and his support team crossed the finish line of his 76th and final marathon in London's Hyde Park, after running a staggering 1991.2 miles for Samaritans.
Josh is a passionate mental health advocate having had his own personal experiences of suicidal thoughts and anxiety.
Josh said: “I can’t believe every time we show up to a different start location, all these people continue to show their support. This challenge means the absolute world to me, and for more and more people to be invested in it means so much. I’m so blessed to have such an amazing team around me and so proud to be running for Samaritans.
"I wanted to try and raise a £1M, which could fund 200,000 life saving phone calls. The most I’ve ever raised before is £28,000 so I’m absolutely blown away to be at this point, especially through a financial crisis. I think it’s a great testament to the general public.
“It’s a much needed cause and I’m hoping to continue raising as much as possible, there are so many people in the UK who are struggling right now and they could really do with the help. £5 is enough to fund a potentially life saving call - thank you so much for everyone’s support, it’s huge."
Visit Josh's fundraising page to see his running total.
Josh started his first marathon on 27 February in Inverness, where volunteers from the local branch saw him begin his epic endurance challenge. Since then, come rain and shine, Josh has been running every single day for Samaritans in an effort to connect with as many people as he can across the length and breadth of the UK – both in person and online.
Across the challenge, Josh ran a marathon in all 76 official cities of the UK - all with Samaritans branches close by, so volunteers and staff could get involved in too and help him raise awareness about the support Samaritans offer.
Sonya Trivedy, Executive Director of External Engagement at Samaritans, said: “The mental strength and physical resilience Josh has shown over the last 76 days, has been awe-inspiring. Thank you Josh for your incredible support of our charity, and a massive thank you too, to everyone who has got involved and supported him along the way – our brilliant volunteers and staff, the cheering squads, every single person who has donated and Josh’s support team!”
To watch Josh’s journey through Run 4 £1M, visit his Instagram page here.