Dedicated fundraiser takes on 40 races for Dougie Mac (video)

DEDICATED fund-raiser Colin Bourne is to take on more than 40 races in one year to raise money for a charity which is celebrating its 40th anniversary.

The 43-year-old has already completed five races, including the 20-mile long Stafford 20 on Sunday, as part of his epic challenge.

He has set himself a target of collecting £4,040 to celebrate four decades since the Douglas Macmillan Hospice was launched.

Colin, right, has been supporting the Blurton-based charity ever since he left his job at tyre-maker Michelin five years ago.

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He said: "I just think Dougie Mac do a fantastic job.

"I wanted to raise cash for the anniversary and I was planning to run 40 miles throughout the year.

"But by the time I'd signed up for the Stafford 20 I was already half way towards achieving my target so I thought I would try and go one better."

Colin admitted the Stafford 20 was his hardest race yet.

He added: "Apart from training, I've never really attempting a distance like that before.

"It was really tough and by the 19th mile I pulled a muscle in my leg. Luckily I still managed to get across the finish line."

Colin started the year with the five-mile Vernon's Limp Wrist run in Alsager, followed by the 8.5-mile Hell in the Middle mud run at Trentham Gardens.

He has already signed up for the 10 Staffordshire Moorlands Athletics Club Summer Series races and the 10k Water Wipeout race in Nottingham, which has obstacles including water slides, tightropes, tunnels, hurdles, cargo nets and balance beams.

Colin, from Joiners Square, said: "I'm going to have to take swimming lessons before the Water Wipeout because I'm not sure I can actually swim that well yet and I want to be safe, although I'm sure they wouldn't let me drown."

His next race will be the Stafford Half Marathon on Sunday.

Colin added: "It's not really about getting round the races as quickly as possible, although a nine-minute mile average would be a great achievement.

"It's just about getting round. I think I should be able to do it – providing I don't have any serious injuries.

"The shorter off-road races can be much more gruelling than the road races. In my opinion running four miles off-road is like running eight miles on tarmac."

Colin will run more than 200 miles during his challenge, in an estimated 48 races not including training runs.

He will complete some of the races with fellow members of the Michelin Running Club.

He added: "We all support each other on the races although we go off at our own pace."

Liz Clarke, pictured left, head of fund-raising at Douglas Macmillan, said: "We wish Colin luck on what promises to be a challenge, it's great to hear he wanted to do something special for our 40th anniversary."

To find out more about Colin's challenge, visit www.justgiving.com/colin-bourne.