Steve James, a 65-year-old retired banker from Devon, has reached the halfway mark of his ambitious challenge to run 200 marathons in 200 days around the coast of Great Britain. After a difficult start featuring severe blisters and a gout flare-up requiring hospital treatment, James has found his rhythm and completed 100 marathons in 100 days as of Thursday.
James set off from Topsham in Devon in April, heading east to Kent before running north to John o'Groats in Scotland. He is now on the Scottish west coast, making his way south. The route is flexible; he adapts daily based on accommodation and terrain, including an unplanned detour to the Isle of Mull.
His progress is being monitored by researchers from the University of Exeter, who are studying the effects of extreme endurance on an older person. James sends daily data on calorie intake, oxygen levels, and muscle measurements. He has lost about 10kg, but researchers have observed no adverse health effects so far.
James, who is raising funds for Cancer Research UK and the Scouts, maintains a routine of waking and leaving at the same time each day. He mixes walking, jogging, and running, and takes breaks for coffee and cake. His diet includes cereal, bacon baguettes, cake, and fish and chips, often with a couple of pints.
To pass the time, James listens to music and is learning Welsh, hoping to order a pint in the language by the time he reaches Wales. He anticipates the toughest physical stretch will be the north coasts of Devon and Cornwall, but expects his body to be acclimatised by then.
