Unbowed wheelchair athlete faces biggest challenge yet

WILLENHALL wheelchair athlete Glyn Marston is all set for his biggest challenge yet – a 140-mile trek to raise cash for Compton Hospice.

The 'journey of hope' comes after Glyn, 45, a former marathon runner, ended his running career because of a shattered knee.

On Thursday, June 12, he is setting off from Compton in Berkshire, to Compton in Wolverhampton, in memory of his cousin’s wife Christine Marston. He has gained the backing of Wolves boss Mick McCarthy who has wished him well in his ‘journey of hope’.

He has also won support from supermarket giant Asda and lined up a series of fundraising stops at stores along the route in the journey which will come weeks after Glyn was forced to pull out of the London Marathon because of bad weather.

Glyn’s arrival back in Wolverhampton will coincide with the start of Compton’s annual Sponsored Walk which is taking place at West Park on Sunday, June 15, and which Glyn will also take part in.

He is seeking sponsorship for the journey, which he hopes can boost the hopsice’s funds and raise awareness of the care it provides. Mum-of-two Christine, aged 54, of East Park, was cared for at the hospice before she died of gallbladder cancer in October last year.

Glyn said: “I cannot speak highly enough of the loving care these people showed to Christine, David and the rest of the family. I am privileged to be in a position to be able to do something to help. I am really hoping that people can get behind me and show me some support.

Glyn running before he was a wheelchair athlete.

“I want to raise as much money as I can for Compton and am hugely grateful to Wolves and Asda for all the help they have given me. Christine was a lovely lady with a warm and generous heart, she would love the fact I am doing this.

“I hoped to take on this challenge as a runner, but circumstances stopped me. Now I can take it on in a new role as a wheelchair athlete and prove that even though I am no longer an ultra distance runner, I am still very much an ultra distance athlete.”

Compton Hospice fundraiser Michelle Price said: “We are so grateful to Glyn for all he is doing for us. This will be quite an amazing journey and we will all be spurring him on.

“We also hope that his determination to continue to cover such distances may rub off on people who want to take part in our sponsored walk this year – you don’t have to be as fit as Glyn, but taking part is still a fun and memorable thing to do.”

Wolves spokeswoman Rachael Heyhoe-Flint said: “Mick McCarthy has met Glyn and was impressed by his spirit, he’s delighted to be backing him in this latest venture.”

Earlier this year, Glyn failed to reach his aim of having completed in the London Marathon both on foot and in a wheelchair. He was pulled out of the race after 17 miles by stewards after heavy rain hampered his performance.

Glyn says he is also campaigning for wheelchair athletes to be allowed to enter “ultra distance” events, as they are in America.

As an “ultra distance” runner, he crossed the line in 65 marathons and 45 long distance races, which varied from 32 to 153 miles.

You can sponsor Glyn by contacting him on 07814 009528 or by going online at www.justgiving.com/ compton2compton

For more information, ring Michelle on 0845 2255497 or Glyn on 07814 009528