A PERSONAL trainer from Hambleden completed a sponsored marathon around Mount Snowdon in memory of his mother.
Chris Emmett, 27, took just under four hours to complete the race, which included three hills with elevations of about two to three miles. He was one of 1,836 people who took part and finished 524th.
Mr Emmett raised £8,000 for the Lymphoma Association. His mother Gill died in September after being diagnosed with lymphoma.
Mrs Emmett, 57, had a bone marrow transplant this summer from her brother but she picked up an infection and spent three weeks in intensive care before her death. Mr Emmett, who ran with “for mum” written on the backs of his legs, said: “My mum was one of the first people to donate. She put ‘with you every step of the way’, which I wrote on my hand in permanent ink and was good at times when I found the race quite tough.
“I’ve had many nice messages from friends and family, saying how proud she would have been — she was always massively supportive.”
He said the event, which is known as the toughest marathon in Britain, was difficult.
“It was very tough,” he said. “About 20 per cent of it is off-road. The last hill is from mile 22 to mile 25 and coming down was pretty horrific as it was so steep.
“When I got across the finish line there was a massive feeling of elation. I had set a target of getting home in under four hours so I was really happy with my time.”
Mr Emmett, who works at Shiplake College as a strength conditioning coach and runs his own personal training business, trained for about five months.
He was supported on the day by family and friends, including his girlfriend Ailish Myland, brothers Ed, 24, and Matt, 30, and their partners, father David and uncle Andy Strachan, cousins Mark and Charlotte Strachan and friends Murray Hughes, Barty Carson, Matt Mann, Chloe O’Connor and Mike Pope.
To donate, visit www.justgiving.com/Chris-Emmettsnowdonchallenge
