Leeds marathon runner Robert Clough put his best foot forward to beat fierce heat in the gruelling Amman marathon to raise funds for Henshaws Society for Blind People, based in Harrogate.
Overcoming extreme weather conditions, Robert raised more than £500 which will be split between Henshaws and the Multiple Sclerosis Trust.
Robert, who one of only 83 runners out of 175 registered starters to complete the marathon, said:
I found the race really rather tough and at just over three quarters of the way through, with 10km still to go, my legs wanted to stop and the last six miles were a real struggle. The water stations had run out and there were 400 fun runners on the route to negotiate. Fortunately the fruit station at 40km still had some bananas left and there were a handful of other determined runners to keep me company!
Hannah Saxon, community and events fundraiser at Henshaws, said:
We’re extremely proud of Robert for tackling this extremely difficult course. All money raised goes towards our ongoing work with people with visual impairments and disabilities including invaluable support for students at Henshaws College, Harrogate, in developing independence and mobility skills.
The main objectives of Amman International Marathon are to promote athleticism, particularly among young people, to encourage tourism to Jordan, and to promote athletic cooperation across countries of the Middle East and the world. Promoting healthy lifestyles among all members of society, and a spirit of volunteerism, are other key objectives. AIM is accredited by the International Athletics Federation (IAAF) as an international event.
