A NEWPORT man has raised more than £1,200 for charity by running three marathons in three days.

Twenty-five-year-old Sean Higgins ran a marathon on Friday, another one on Saturday and a third one on Sunday to raise funds for Ty Hafan.

Mr Higgins, who had never run a marathon before taking on the challenge, said: “It wasn’t easy, it was really tough.

“The killer was yesterday, it was such a long day. I was trying to run but my knees had given up.

“I thought I was never going to finish.”

For the first one, which took him four hours and 40 minutes, Mr Higgins ran from Newport to Usk and back.

For the second one, which took him five and a half hours, he ran from Newport to Newbridge and, for the last one, which took him eight and a half hours, he ran from Newport to Cardiff Castle.

“My knee is a little bit sore today, but I’m ok,” he said. “I’m glad I’ve done, it has been brilliant – but I don’t think I’d do it again.

“My friends and family did bits with me. My dad and my brother did half a marathon with me.

“Everyone has been a real help, my mates were so helpful yesterday during the last few miles.

“I think that, if I had done it on my own, it’d have been a real struggle.

“I’ve never run a marathon before. It all started last Christmas down the pub when my friend Bryan said I couldn’t do it and I said that I could.”

Mr Higgins, who works in film post-production, plays rugby for Abercarn. He trains with them twice a week and, since January, he has also been training to run long distance.

Earlier this year he took part in the Man vs Mountain challenge, where participants run to the top of Snowdon and then down the other side into Dinorwic Quarry. He raised £800 for Ty Hafan.

“I chose Ty Hafan because it’s a good cause and it’s local,” he said. “I think I’ll do something again next year, I don’t often do fundraising but I like to try to do one big thing a year.”