In the early hours of Saturday morning (21st December, the shortest day of the year), at 3.30am to be precise, Jamie Mitchell-Kempner will start running home for Christmas .
He aims to cover the 100 kilometres between his home in south London and his parents’ place in Great Chesterford, a village on the Essex/Cambridgeshire border, in a little over 12 hours – arriving to a hero’s welcome at the Crown and Thistle pub by 4pm.
He's put himself up for this amazing challenge to raise money for the ME Association because his mum, Sue Mitchell, has ME.
“This illness has been the backdrop to my family’s life for the past 15 years and we need lots more research to finally eradicate it”, said the 32-year-old former seafarer from Greenwich, who now works in the freight-forwarding industry.
“I’ll do the run whatever the weather. My partner Sarah thought the idea was a bit mad at first but, since I started training in earnest three months ago, she’s come right behind it. She knows I can do it!”
Jamie’s been up and and out of the house by 5.30am every morning to run the 11k to work and he achieved a personal best time of 1:32:09 in the Milton Keynes Winter Half Marathon last month.
But come Saturday it will be his endurance skills that come into play. This is not a half, it’s not a sprint. It’s a real ultra-marathon, and Jamie’s raring to go!
Photos show: Jamie's also got a head for heights; messaging loud and clear, Jamie outside his parents' home in Great Chesterford; Jamie and partner Sarah, with their four-year-old cockapoo Ellis
He will be following canal and river towpaths and then, as he gets deeper into Essex, bridalways and footpaths. He’ll carry a light backpack containing water and food which will keep him going for the first 40k until the M25 is well behind him.
His dad, Mike, and brother Tom in the back-up car will then bring in re-supplies at various points until 5k from the end – at Strethall Church – when Sarah will arrive with their four-year-old cockapoo Ellis for a final scamper home.
Jamie has been gaining running experience since he caught the running bug during the pandemic.
In April this year, he was up in Scotland with brother Tom – two of 350 runners taking part in the Isle of Arran Rat Race, covering 97 off-road kilometres in two days across mountains, raging torrents and through forests.
“The trick on Saturday will be just keep jogging along, knowing I can do it. Touch wood, everything will be fine”, he said.
The very best of luck, Jamie. Everyone here is rooting for you!
If you would like to show Jamie your support, please visit:
https://www.justgiving.com/page/jamie100km
Jamie's 100k route – from Greenwich in south London to a hero's welcome at the Crown and Thistle pub in Great Chesterford, just down the road from his parents' home.
Tony Britton
Senior Fundraising Consultant, The ME Association
tony.britton@meassociation.org.uk Mob: 07393 805566
