Admiral Travel director Craig Weatherill to run 130 miles non-stop in ultra marathon

Admiral Travel and Craig Travel director Craig Weatherill is preparing to run 130 miles non-stop in one of the UK’s most challenging ultra marathons.

Weatherill will be among 150 competitors taking part in the Ring O’ Fire race around the Anglesey Coastal Path on Friday, August 29.

“I’ve never run more than 40 miles, so this is a big step up,” he said.

He is hoping fellow members of the travel industry will offer donations as he bids to complete the challenge in aid of Reuben’s Retreat.

The race begins at 9am on the Friday and the runners must reach each checkpoint within a set time or they will be eliminated, with the final cut-off for finishing the circuit being noon on the Sunday.

Weatherill is hoping to finish at about 11pm on the Saturday, but he said he was relaxed about the prospect of finishing earlier or later.

“It’s not really about the time. It’s more about getting past the checkpoints and raising funds for Reuben’s Retreat,” he said.

Most of the circuit is over diverse terrain, including beaches, cliff-top paths, farmland and forest sections, with competitors facing 4,000 metres of vertical ascent and descent.

“I’ll be running in the middle of the night, so it will be pitch black and that will be something different for me,” said Weatherill.

His training regime includes visiting the gym five times a week and running up to 25 miles weekly.

Among the focuses in the gym has been strength work for his Achilles tendinitis.

“It always seems to come back at the worst possible moment,” he said. “Touch wood, it’s OK.”

He has set a fundraising target of £1,000 and hopes he will receive support from people he has met across more than two decades in the travel industry.

“Whenever I’ve been at events and seen what Reuben’s Retreat is doing, I’ve always thought, ‘I need to raise money for them’,” he said.

The charity provides support for families who have lost a child as well as those who have a child living with medical complexities.

Weatherill said Craig Travel had now signed a lease for its upcoming third store, which will be based in Kendal.

The existing shops, also in Cumbria, are located in Workington and Cockermouth.

The new store, which attracted £10,000 of funding through Jet2holidays’ Scale Up Your Street competition, is expected to open in October or earlier.

The Admiral Travel branches are based in Altrincham, Cheadle and Wilmslow.

Weatherill’s fundraising page