A Bucks man to run 850 miles from Lands End to John O’Groats in 21 days for MIND, a mental health charity.

Ian Potter decided that after losing his friend to mental health furing the first lockdown he would take on this mighty challenge, running the length of the UK.

The runner has been training for 10 months to get his body into shape to be able to complete the mammoth task is just 21 days.

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With the start date due to be the February 21 it looks like the event will have to be moved back as hotel and campsites will be shut.

Nearly half of the target amount of £5000 has been raised through Potter’s Just Giving Page.

The runner said: “The main reason is during the first lockdown  a really good friend of mine sadly passed away because of mental health.

“I didn’t actually find out about it until we came out the lockdown so I really wanted to do something for her memory, some sort of big challenge.

“I wanted to do something quite memorable not like a 5k, 10k or a marathon and I have always wanted to do Lands End to John O’Groats as a personal challenge

“I thought it would be quite a nice way to remember her by trying to raise money for the charity she was using to help he  before she died.

“It’s charity called MIND, that helps people who suffer with mental health problems.”

Running 850 miles is a little different to Potters to normal distances even if he is a personal trainer.

He added: “I have always been a runner, I’m a personal trainer so I do a lot of running with people but nothing in terms of this distance before like this. I normally do 5k or 10k with either myself or a couple clients.

“I have been training for like 10 months for this now so trying to get myself to like 30, 40 miles a day now.

“Its just getting used to it.”

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The main challenge is the change as weather as Potter is now facing minus tempertures whilst out and about instead of summer heatwaves.

He continued: “The weather changes as well because when I started my training the weather was lovely and then it’s the middle of winter now so that’s more of a challenge it itself.

“It’s colder mornings so I’m having to put more layers on and I’m having to eat a lot more food than beforehand because I’m burning more calories.

“In a weird way I’m quite enjoying the fact it’s getting harder.”

With a new national lockdown the start date may have to be delayed due to hotels being closed and social mixing banned.

Potter said: “The plan is to stay in Travelodges, campsites, friends that put me up on the way and I’ve got family on the route, especially in Scotland.

“With the new tier system coming in and the lockdown it might mean having to push the date back slightly

“Instead of setting out on the 21st Feb, which will still be the plan because I don’t what could happen in the next 7 to 8 weeks, it’s looking likely I might have to start of March to make sure place are open.”

The mental strength to completed a distance of this length is a massive part to the challenge and Potter is using people’s donation as motivation.

The runner said: “The just giving page has been a massive help because every time I log in I see a little bit more money  added into it so that’s definitely motivation just there

“Lots of friend and family who have said they will tag along for little stages of the route whether it’s a five mile cycles or a half hour walk.

“Having people give me that little kick that I need when the going gets tough is exactly what I need.”

For more information see Ian Potter's Twitter page.