Super-fit Mike Crawley will be running to raise money for charity

by Chris Price

A pensioner will run 32 miles a day for 100 consecutive days to raise money for charity.

Super-fit Mike Crawley, 66, will jog five laps around the Marshside, near Herne Bay, every day in aid of the British Limbless Ex-Service Men's Association.

Dubbed Operation Long Run, originally the plan was to run around the UK in consecutive 12-hour shifts with his 65-year-old friend Mike Inkster.

However, retired SAS soldier Mr Crawley was forced to alter his plans after his pal had an operation on doctor's orders less than a month ago.

Having already delayed the run for a year to avoid a clash with publicity for the Olympics last summer, the retired serviceman decided he had to go it alone.

He said: "We have got brilliant sponsors and a fantastic charity, so I thought 'I cannot let these people down'.

"There is only so much I can do physically on my own so rather than running around the UK, here I can do it, go home to bed, then get up and do it again.

"I will be doing more miles than originally planned but this is a different way of doing it.

"And doing it this way, I can still see my family."

Mr Crawley, of the Meadows, Broomfield, has two daughters, Julie, 43, and 39-year-old Karen, who is mother to his grandchildren Caitlin, four, and two-year-old Morgan.

He joined the army as a boy soldier in 1961 and went to Hereford for SAS selection in 1969 and stayed with that regiment for several years, during which time he served in many "interesting" parts of the world.

He transferred to the Intelligence Corps and in 1985 was a member of a relay team that covered 486 miles from Edinburgh to Ashford, where he was stationed at the time.

Since leaving the army in 1986, he has competed in seven London Marathons and five double marathons as well as other ultra-marathons.

In 2009, he completed a 75-mile run in less than 20 hours to commemorate the Pegasus Bridge landings.

He has been training for his latest endeavour for two years, running about 20 miles each training session about twice a week.

Among his kit for the mammoth run are £1,200 of running shoes, given to him by sponsor New Balance.

He said: "Training has gone very well. I am at the stage where I want to get on with it really."

He begins his challenge on Sunday, May 5 and hopes to finish on August 12.

But there will be little time to rest, as he will be travelling to Scotland to begin the three peaks challenge shortly afterwards.

"I imagine I will have a day off and then I will be travelling to Scotland," he said.