11 months after taking on Julian House’s Big Bath Sleep-Out with his family and raising over £1,500, Paul Drayton took on his next challenge, the Dorset Ultramarathon on 4th December, and raised an additional £1742 for the charity.
In order to complete the race, Paul, Transformation Director at international aerospace company, Babcock, ran 37 miles, clocked up 69,237 steps and ascended 8392 feet,
along Dorset’s exposed and rocky Jurassic coast. The route which started near Tyneham, made a loop to West Lulworth and finished at Swanage.
Paul said: “I have always loved being in the hills as it has been my happy place, and I have never needed it more than during lockdown. I was out and about most days taking phone calls or just getting a break, and as I couldn’t travel, I was running in the local area for exercise. Shorter runs grew into longer runs and it’s just grown from there really – seeing what I am capable of! It is a great test of physical and mental resilience and pushes me to find my limits, work out ways to overcome them and come back stronger!
My boss has been encouraging a mindset at work where we ‘make the weather’ when things aren’t going well – this has really resonated with me in my personal and professional life and I think it is exactly what Julian House does for those who have been dealt a tough hand in life. That’s why I wanted to support their great work again.”
Paul was initially signed up to take on the Ultra Plus marathon which is 47 miles in total. However after suffering a knee injury at mile 25, Paul, through sheer determination, managed to hobble through the last 12 miles to complete the Ultra race.
Jessica Gay, Senior Community and Events Fundraiser at Julian House said: “Paul is a real superstar. After already fundraising over £1,500 for Julian House, he then goes and trains up for an ultramarathon to further support our work. Pulling through the last 12 miles on a busted knee shows his incredible gut determination! His continued support means a huge amount to everyone at the charity and he’s helping us to support extremely vulnerable individuals and families to rebuild their lives. Thank you, Paul, for making such a big difference.”
You can still support Paul by donating to his page here.
