Burnley man to run full length of Hadrian's Wall in memory of two friends

Philip ‘Tilly’ Smith (47), who will be running the full length of Hadrian’s Wall in honour of two close friends who died last year, is raising money for local charities Healthier Heroes and Aspire.

‘The Wall’, organised by adventure sports event company Rat Race, starts at Carlisle Castle on Saturday, June 15, and finishes a day later at Newcastle’s Quayside. Competitors have 26 hours to complete the course.

Tilly’s previous longest run came three years ago at the Howgills Marathon in the Lakes, and he admitted nerves were not well and truly starting to set in.

"I’ve always fancied doing an ultramarathon, something that takes me out of my comfort zone,” said the former Habergham High School pupil. “When I signed up for it last year, it seemed like a really long way off. Now it’s a month away and it’s becoming very real. I’m nervous, scared and excited. But it should be an incredible experience. Training’s going well, and I’m doing all the prep I can. I ran 17 miles the other day and that felt ok, but there’s a big difference between 17 miles and 70 miles.

"Healthier Heroes and Aspire are two fantastic charities that do a lot of amazing work, so if people could donate a couple of quid it would really mean a lot.”

Anybody wanting to donate to Tilly’s cause, can do so here.