A GWENT man has completed a gruelling marathon challenge three months ahead of schedule.

Alun Fuller from Undy, set himself the challenge of running 12 marathons in 12 months for Velindre Cancer Centre.

The 63-year-old is a member of Undy And Redwick Roadrunners who have chosen Velindre as their charity of the year.

He said: “The club chose Velindre as the charity this year and I am heavily involved in the fundraising. I wanted to do something different and decided to do a marathon one month and a half marathon the next month.

“Then I decided to do 12 marathons in 12 months, but I ended up doing 12 in nine months. At one point I did three marathons in four weeks.”

Mr Fuller completed his final marathon on Sunday when he completed the Snowdonia Marathon in five hours and 25minutes. 

As part of the challenge he ran the Gloucester winter marathon, the Phoenix spring marathon, the Brighton marathon, the North Dorset village marathon, the Exeter marathon, the Hampshire Hoppit, the Boddington marathon, the Gloucester City marathon, the Two Tunnels marathon, the Richmond marathon, the Bournemouth marathon and the Snowdonia marathon.

He said: “It was tough but it went well. During the challenge I have had a lot of pain but I see a good physio. One of worst was The Hampshire Hoppit. I didn’t release that it was a trail marathon and the heat was 35 degrees. I had to walk 16 miles of it.”

When he was 11, Mr Fuller had rheumatic fever and was told he would never play sport and that would have heart problems. He was told he would have to take medication his entire life, but was later given the all clear.

He said: “It’s amazing that I can do what I do. I’m always on the go and have always been fit.

“I haven’t run for 30 years when I used to run Chepstow Harriers. I started running again in November 2016. I also play rugby for St Julian´s Rugby Club and Ross on Wye Rugby Club.”

Mr Fuller is almost at his fundraising target of £5,000. To donate to his cause visit justgiving.com/fundraising/alun-fuller