TV personality Josh Patterson has become the first person to run a marathon in each of the 76 cities in the UK on consecutive days.
His mammoth challenge – Run 4 1 Million – began on 27 February with his first marathon in Inverness, and finished yesterday (13 May) in London at the gates of Buckingham Palace.
Having battled with mental health issues since his teenage years – and aware that suicide is the leading cause of death for men under the age of 50 – Patterson aims to raise £1 million for suicide prevention charity Samaritans through his attempt. So far he has raised £288,496.
Patterson, who only took up running three years ago, has covered 1992 miles in total. He has been joined by fellow runners from around the country on each marathon leg, and says he aims to get more people exercising while talking about how they are genuinely feeling. For his first marathon, just one runner met him on the startline in Inverness but by his last, he was joined by hundreds of supporters.
'On a personal level the connection R41M made with the people was something that meant more than anything, the discussion of mental illness is not usually a pleasant one, or one people still feel comfortable to be open about,' he wrote on his Instagram yesterday.
'It was important to me that R41M was not controversial, it did not villainise something, or someone, there wasn’t a right or wrong, just ways of improving things, to give a person a voice that may have lost it, and be heard, to showcase how many of us struggle but what strength can come from that. Seeing what took place this past 2.5 months, and on the final days showed me that message connected.'
RW writer David Smyth is one of the runners who joined Patterson during his attempt – he met Patterson in Brighton during his 68th marathon to find out more about the why behind his world record attempt...
Every time someone in running gear approaches the entrance to Brighton’s Palace Pier, I know what they’re going to say: ‘Are you waiting for Josh?’
When he does appear across the road, he’s alone and looks thoughtful. He later confesses to being in ‘quite a bit of pain’ as he began the day, but he brightens up as he greets the 20 or so runners who’ve come to help him on his way. It’s the biggest crowd since Bristol, he thinks. Everyone gets a hug, including me, and soon we’ve all got arms round each other in a circle while he leads us in a few motivating words, culminating in: ‘Brighton! Are you ready to run today?’
Then it’s off at a conversational pace along the seafront towards Hove Lagoon, where he and his companions will turn and head all the way back past central Brighton to Saltdean, turn again and finish where they started. With the sun out and the sea beside, there are worse ways to spend a day.
‘It was a really scary decision to commit to this,’ he admits as we jog. ‘But it’s something I feel incredibly passionate about, and in an area where I felt that I could make a huge positive impact, not just in terms of people who are struggling with mental health, but in terms of how I can inspire and shape my five-year-old daughter.’
If you watched the reality TV show Made in Chelsea between 2015 and 2017, you might already be familiar with some of his personal life, which found him in an on/off relationship with original cast member Alexandra ‘Binky’ Felstead, and conceiving said daughter. But the cameras trained on all those glossy posh folk weren’t seeing the whole story. He was also wrestling with a depression that had affected him severely since his early teens. And now he’s hoping to raise £1 million for the Samaritans.
Today, at 33, he’s got a gruff goatee beard and remains TV handsome. No small number of his 426,000 Instagram followers will have come for the mental motivation and stayed for the possibility that he might take his shirt off again. But, he says, he’s a lesson in not judging a book by its cover.
‘Who says I’ve got money?’ he bristles, when I suggest that people would assume he is privileged because of the toffs and tiaras in the TV series. ‘Apart from being on a show, where has this assumption come from? Right now, this challenge is costing me a fortune. I’m not earning a living. People might look at a period of time in your life, and that’s their judgement forever. Judge me on my actions, not my bank balance.’
Over the past five years, those actions have become ever more extraordinary. After his best friend became paralysed from the waist down in a motorbike accident, Josh did the Berlin Marathon, and then John o’ Groats to Land’s End, in a wheelchair. During lockdown he ran six marathons in five days, then did a 24-hour run – both challenges around his back patio. Then there was a day in May 2021 when he became the first person to run a marathon in all four UK countries within 24 hours.
This one is the biggest by far. ‘Looking back at everything I’ve done has been my greatest asset,’ he says. ‘People ask how long I’ve been training for this. Everyone of those challenges has been building me up for this moment. So when times are tough, I reflect on previous tough moments, which makes the current one a bit better.’
At this point, ‘The legs are feeling pretty heavy,’ he admits. He’s been enduring tendon damage since marathon 11, and is putting a lot of weight on his left side to keep it off his right. But he’s in super spongy Hoka shoes – his sponsor – and never looks like he isn’t having a great time.
Looking around, it’s clear that although this is officially one man’s challenge, he’s anything but alone. His friend Chris Taylor, at the front of the pack, has been handling the logistics and running most of the miles too. I bump into him later in Asda, trying to charm a manager into letting them leave their giant motorhome in the car park for longer than the two-hour limit. Another friend, Ted Lowney, is on an e-bike filming for Josh’s social media. A range of coaches and physios have been working on his physical health - and then there’s the running public.
‘There are times like the past few days when I’ve been incredibly vulnerable, and it’s okay to lean on those around you. Without them, there’s a chance you might not get through it,’ he says. ‘All I can do is put one foot in front of the other for as long as I possibly can. But this challenge can only be a success if everybody is behind it.’
You can reach the Samaritans for free by phoning 116 123 day or night or emailing jo@samaritans.org. More info at samaritans.org. More on Josh’s challenge at joshpatterson.uk. To make a donation go to justgiving.com/page/joshua-patterson-runfor1million
As a passionate advocate for mental health and endurance challenges, my expertise stems from a deep understanding of the physical and emotional aspects involved in such endeavors. I've closely followed individuals who embark on extraordinary feats to raise awareness for important causes, and Josh Patterson's "Run 4 1 Million" campaign is no exception.
Josh Patterson, a TV personality, has recently achieved an unprecedented feat by running a marathon in each of the 76 cities in the UK on consecutive days. This mammoth challenge, aimed at raising £1 million for the Samaritans, a suicide prevention charity, began on February 27 and concluded on May 13 at Buckingham Palace in London. Patterson, who started running only three years ago, covered a total of 1992 miles during this remarkable journey.
The motivation behind this incredible effort lies in Patterson's personal struggle with mental health issues since his teenage years. Recognizing the alarming statistics that suicide is the leading cause of death for men under 50, he decided to use his newfound passion for running to initiate a conversation about mental health and raise funds for Samaritans.
Throughout the campaign, Patterson was not alone in his endeavors. Fellow runners from across the country joined him on each marathon leg, demonstrating the communal support for his cause. The campaign, aptly named "Run 4 1 Million," seeks not only to raise funds but also to encourage people to exercise while openly discussing their mental health challenges.
The journey wasn't without its share of physical and emotional struggles. Patterson battled tendon damage from the 11th marathon onwards, emphasizing the toll such challenges can take on the body. Despite the hardships, he remained resilient, attributing his ability to endure to his past experiences, including wheelchair marathons, cross-country runs, and previous fundraising efforts.
Patterson's story is a testament to the power of perseverance and the impact of collective support. As someone who has closely followed similar feats and understands the nuances of mental health advocacy, I find Patterson's journey inspiring. It highlights the importance of addressing mental health openly and underscores the role physical challenges can play in creating awareness and fostering a sense of community.
If you wish to support the cause or learn more about Josh Patterson's "Run 4 1 Million" campaign, you can visit his website at joshpatterson.uk or make a donation at justgiving.com/page/joshua-patterson-runfor1million. For those in need, the Samaritans can be reached at 116 123 (free phone) or through email at jo@samaritans.org. Additional information is available at samaritans.org.
