Student goes on the run six times (From Falmouth Packet)

Student goes on the run six times

6:04am Thursday 18th October 2007

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Daring Falmouth student Martin Holland is set to complete an exhausting six marathons in the space of six months in a bid to save the planet.

The 23-year-old, originally from Suffolk, is running in aid of WWF-UK, the conservation charity. He has climbed mountains and walked long distances before, but has never run a marathon. Asked why he decided upon this particular challenge he replied that "6 seemed like a nice round number".

His remarkable mission will include some of the most gruelling routes in the UK, with the very first being what some would consider to be Britain's toughest road race - Snowdonia, Wales (Oct 27) - and the last being what is probably the hardest marathon in Britain - Exmoor (April 12). Apart from Snowdonia, all the routes are off-road, coastal marathons that follow gruelling, wet, muddy, rocky, and excessively hilly tracks, for 26 unrelenting miles.

"The furthest training run I've done so far is a half-marathon which I'm still recovering from. You'd think that running 6 marathons like this would get you pretty fit, but I can see that I'm going to be in pretty bad shape when I'm done. I'm just hoping to get round them all in one piece. I'm pretty scared, but that's the advantage of telling everyone you're doing it for charity - no copping out!"

Martin is studying Natural History and Marine Photography at Falmouth University, while also doing a distance learning degree in Environmental Studies at Exeter University. It is his love for the environment and concern for the natural world that has provoked his ambitious plans.

"I wanted to do something that would be on-going, that would grab peoples' attention and give me an excuse to talk to them about how amazing our planet is, and how we are a part of it and need to act responsibly, instead of like spoilt children. I've got a small spotlight for 6 months now which I can use positively by highlighting different problems and their possible solutions, all for the small price of my physical health!"

His remarkable commitment to the cause has even caught the eye of staff at WWF-UK, who now plan to feature Martin's journey in their membership magazine.

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