Inspirational athlete runs 91 miles for charity

An athlete from Tameside has raised over £2.5k for charity through two astonishing challenges. 

Jodie Gregson, from Droylsden, recently completed her goal of running a minimum of 5km every single day for a whole year, which she set herself in June 2024. 

To celebrate, the 31-year-old then set herself the even tougher task of running 365 laps of the East Cheshire Harriers running track in less than 24 hours, totalling a distance of 91 miles.

Jodie finished the initial challenge on June 30, when she ran for the 365th consecutive day. 

“It all started back in December 2023,” the inspirational athlete told the Reporter following the feat. 

“I set out to run 5k a day for a month originally, then I thought I might as well keep it going. 

“I got to a streak of 139 days, then had a break, and in June 2024 I decided I wanted to try and beat it. 

“I managed to get to 140 days and then I thought, why not try and do the full year.” 

It didn’t stop there for Jodie, who then decided to go one step further: 

“I was then on one of my last 5k’s and thought, how can I finish it with something bigger. 

“I thought about running 365k but didn’t fancy doing that much, and then I got the idea to run 365 laps at East Cheshire Harriers instead. 

“It was all a bit spontaneous, every time I reach one of my targets I can’t seem to stop going.” 

The Droylsden resident then completed the latter challenge earlier this month, covering an astounding 91 miles in just under 19 hours, surrounded by family and friends. 

“It was a long day, but I loved every minute of it,” Jodie told the Reporter following the gruelling event. 

“It was really nice to see everyone getting involved and running a few laps themselves, that really kept me going. 

“The furthest I’ve ever ran before is marathon, so I didn’t really know what to expect, but I set myself a target time of sub 24 hours. 

“We set off at about half 5 in the morning and managed to finish in under 19 hours, which was great because it meant everyone could go home a bit earlier!” 

When asked which event she found the toughest, Jodie responded: 

“Definitely the 365 laps. 

“Running 5k a day wasn’t too bad once I got into it, it's just 30 minutes out of your day. 

“I treated it as a non-negotiable. It was just something that was essential for me to do, just like going to work or having my tea- giving up never entered my mind. 

“I carried it on when I went on holiday as well, and it turned into a great way of exploring new places. 

“When I was at university I played a lot of volleyball, we trained every day of the week, and I think I just managed to fall back into that routine. 

“My day job is quite stationary too; I’m just sat at a desk so that’s when I was able to get my rest.” 

Astoundingly, after completing her 365-lap challenge on July 5, Jodie has continued to run each day since. 

“It was tough running the day after, my legs were sore, but I found it harder to walk than run to be honest. 

“I want to keep going for as long as my legs let me, I’m not ready to lose the streak yet.”  

The 31-year-old tackled both events in aid of Mind UK, a charity close to her heart: 

“I’ve known a lot of people who have been impacted by mental health issues, it’s something we all experience. 

“It’s just a really relatable charity, and one that means a lot.” 

The fundraising total currently stands at £2,533, with donations still being taken via Jodie’s JustGiving page. 

To donate, please visit the following link: 

https://shorturl.at/ypPA1