At 7am on Saturday (18 July) a resolute group of Staffordshire runners started out on an endurance challenge against the clock. Their aim was to run a mile every hour on the hour to raise funds for Stone Community Hub. 

This challenge was held on what would have been the weekend for the Conti Thunder Run 24 Hour at Catton Park. Unfortunately, the coronavirus outbreak and restrictions still in place meant the organisers made the difficult decision to postpone the event to 24/25 July 2021. 

Instead of running 10K laps around Catton Park, the group decided to run for 24 hours around Stone Business Park/Opal Way. The plan was one mile every hour, on the hour for 24 hours and with a £5 entry fee which was donated to Stone Community Hub – a charity that provides help and support to local people. 

There was self sufficiency and social distancing in equal measures as everyone brought what they needed with them whilst remembering to follow current guidelines. The weather was less than kind especially during the night when dark, cold and wet conditions would have started to take their toll. The recovery time in between each mile was a challenge in itself; however, the camaraderie between the runners and encouragement from others kept everyone going through the wee small hours and until the end. 

The runners were wet and sleep deprived yet experienced a sense of satisfaction at having completed the challenge and in the words of Mel Bath: “A lovely feeling that you’ve helped the food bank to continue to support families in Stone during this crisis.” By going the extra mile over 24 hours they have raised £450 for Stone Community Hub.   

Donations can still be made at Stone Community Hub Golden Giving page.

Image credit: Mel Bath