Eddie Izzard and the 1000 mile ultramarathon
Well-known UK comedian Eddie Izzard is just over halfway through his 1000 mile run around the UK which he hopes to complete in just under seven weeks. He is running the equivalent of a full marathon each and every day for seven weeks, the charitable proceeds of which will go to Sports Relief of which the comedian is a strong supporter.
The 1000 mile round UK trip will certainly be tough on the famous cross-dressing comedian but it has also managed to bring ultra running into the UK News, a subject which many people had never even heard of. Despite the fact there are a growing number of ultra marathons in the UK and a growing number of ultra runners, this is a sport which rarely receives attention grabbing headlines and is never part of the mainstream news in the UK.
So not only will Eddie Izzard raise a significant amount of money for charity but he has also done the cause of ultra running in the UK a great service, and one which could offer a significant boost in the short to medium term. Will we ever see ultra running appear in the Olympics? Is 2012 to soon to introduce an ultramarathon to the event?