BBC News, South East
EllenorA man who is running the length of England in memory of his late mother has spoken of the “emotional rollercoaster” he has faced during the challenge.
Amol Randhawa from Gravesend, in Kent, is aiming to run 554 miles (891 km) in 13 days and to raise £40,000 for the hospice which cared for his mother in her final days.
The 30-year-old – who is running about 43 miles (70km) each day – will finish in Lands End, Cornwall, on Wednesday, having started in Berwick-upon-Tweed, in Northumberland, on 15 August.
Mr Randhawa said it was a “mental challenge” as he had battled through injury, but the “hardest thing” was not being able to see his wife and daughter.
Mr Randhawa was just 10 when his mother died from cancer.
His run has already raised more than £18,000 for the Ellenor hospice in Gravesend.
“They do such an amazing job in the local community, so I just want them to continue being able to do that,” he said.
The Gravesend-based charity serves around 270,000 people in North Kent and Bexley, and cared for Mr Randhawa’s mother, 20 years ago, at what was then the Lions Hospice in Northfleet.
While there is no greater motivation, Mr Randhawa said it had been tough going.
“It’s just been an emotional rollercoaster… some days I have highs, then other times it’s just so low.”
He described the “mental challenge” of battling through injuries and being “five km into a day’s run with another 65 km to go, and your ankle is already sore, or your knees are already sore. It’s such a mental fight,” he said.
His friend, and physiotherapist, Rolandas Mizgeris, has accompanied him on the journey but he said a surprise visit from his wife and daughter a few days earlier than planned also gave him a boost.
“I think that’s been the hardest thing, not being able to see the two of them – especially when you have low points,” Mr Randhawa said.
He also said he had struggled with his mother’s loss more since becoming a father himself.
He said: “The thought of [my mother] watching us grow up, knowing that her remaining time with us was limited is devastating,” he said.
If you have been affected by the issues raised in this article, you can find help and advice on bereavement and end of life care on the BBC Action line page.
