There’s a good chance if you were out and about on the final day of July you would have encountered Gregor and his band of runners out as part of Overton Goes For 24.
CommunityAd managed to catch the athlete and question him about why he was leading a small army around the village he so fondly loves.
So firstly, Gregor explain to those readers who might be unaware what you were up to on the final day of July with Overton Goes For 24 and why?
Myself and Emma had been following the story of a 9-year-old girl named Sophie, who was unfortunately diagnosed with a rare form of cancer which is terminal, her bravery and way she was dealing with this is truly inspirational. We wanted to help in some way and that’s how team Restell came up with run for 24.
What a gruelling challenge, how much did that local support help carry you? Were you surprised by how much the community got behind the cause?
I’m no stranger to endurance running, getting lost in our beautiful north Hampshire countryside is a passion of mine and I have run ultra-events before, however running for 24 hours straight was a different proposition. I must admit I had no clue how big this event would become as I was focused on a pretty intense training program.
My wife Emma conducted the event from start to finish. The family mile we did at the start was a huge success and I’m glad we got everyone active, it was a real buzz. Finishing in the village centre was just another level completely, seeing and hearing the support from everyone is something I’ll never forget!
Overton is a special place, isn’t it? What would you like to say to everyone who donated or supported?
Well, I’m a born and bred Overtonian so I am biased, it’s truly quite something, however its beauty alone is not what makes it so special, it’s the people that make it and the effort put in time after time for events such as ours! I’m so thankful to everyone that donated, ran, cheered and clapped. I’ve promised to thank them all personally, I think I’m doing pretty well with that on my travels around the village! Surely there are not many places you can do that but again that’s the beauty of our beloved Overton!
Has this challenge whet your appetite for any more running challenges?
Oh absolutely, team Restell have so much more to give on our fundraising journey, we like helping people and getting the community together by being active.