By Elizabeth Hunter via SWNS
A man has quit his high-flying tech job to raise over $100,000 – by running 32 marathons in 32 days.
Chris Thomson, 34, was part of a London-based tech sales team, working a high-powered corporate job – until a loss caused him to reevaluate his life.
A close friend unexpectedly ended his own life after struggling with mental health difficulties, and the loss hit Chris hard.
He realized that he needed to spend his time on pursuits he was passionate about – and adventure-loving Chris came up with a plan to raise money and push himself at the same time.
Chris, who had run over 10 marathons in the past, decided to create his own ultramarathon challenge – running 32 miles over 32 days, across each of Scotland’s 32 council areas, all whilst trying to raise £100k for seven charities close to his heart.
“I unfortunately lost a mate who took his life a couple of years ago and it impacted me quite significantly,” Chris said.
“I struggled quite a bit after my mate passed.
“It sent me into a bit of a spiral of depression and anxiety, and it made me really question what I was doing.
“It gave me a bit of a wake-up call – we’ve only got one life.
“I thought that I need to start doing something I enjoy, because we don’t get long here.
“I’ve always loved going on adventures, so I had a Google and tried to think about what hasn’t been done before.
“I came across the fact that there are 32 council areas – I didn’t know there were 32 councils in Scotland! I thought that I could do something in each council.
“I’d started running back in November – I ran 300 miles for Movember, and then increased it a little bit in December. I absolutely loved it.
“There were benefits mentally and physically. I finished December with 10 marathons in a row and didn’t feel too bad.
“I did some more ultra marathons in January and February, and then quit my job in March to fully focus on this.”
Starting in his home council of Dumfries and Galloway, Chris is aiming to finish his journey at Edinburgh Castle on 6 July.
Chris begins his day by posting to @tourdethomo, the Instagram account where he updates followers on his progress – before beginning his near eight hours of daily running.
Despite battling with the at times hostile Scottish weather, Chris believes he is past the hardest part of his journey – the stormy Shetland Isles.
“In a typical day, I wake up around 6, and typically make an Instagram post or reel,” he said.
“Then I have breakfast, get my bag ready and get suncream on. I try and set off around 9 a.m.
“It takes around eight hours a day, with seven and a half hours of running and a few breaks in between to reload and drink water.
“The first few legs were very tricky. I started with the islands, and it was pretty full-on,” said Chris.
“The weather up in Shetland was pretty horrific, with rain, sleet and hail.
“That was the hardest part so far – some of those days were 10 hours long because of the hills.”
Chris, who has also dyed his mustache a startling shade of pink in honor of the cancer charities he is supporting, has been staying at hotels and B&Bs in the evenings – with many companies providing him with discounted or free stays to show their own support.
He hopes to raise £100k, with funds being split between seven charities close to his own heart – including MIND, Movember, My Name Is Doddie, and Maggie’s Cancer Centre, who cared for relatives during their battles with cancer.
“The response has been really positive,” Chris said.
“Everyone’s been really kind and receptive.
“LoganAir donated all the flights to me, so that was amazing from them.
“Most of the hotels and B&Bs have been complimentary as well – everyone’s been really kind.
“Donations are getting there, which is nice. I’ve had lots of support and lots of positive feedback.
“A lot of donations will come when I’m nearer the end – I’m at day 21 today, so I’ve got 12 more to run.
“I’m at £14,500 so far, so still a way to go, but I’m pretty chuffed with what we’ve got so far.
“Raising the money is really important, but I also want to raise awareness – there are ways to improve your life.
“Me quitting my job and doing something that I love has cleared all of my depression and anxiety.
“Even though I’m absolutely exhausted, I’m in a really good place.”
