Simon Williamson is an amazing man.
His mother Rosemary has Parkinson鈥檚 disease and he’s resolved to complete a 366-day challenge to run every day in 2024 with a new person alongside him.
Yesterday was day 316 and I answered the call to be his unlikely running companion.
The best way to compare our respective running abilities was it would be like a new Lamborghini聽lining up against a second-hand Smart car with three wheels (no disrespect to Smart car owners!)
Williamson, who works as a director for DCBL, began running regularly just over 10 years ago, in 2013. He set a personal target of running 100 marathons in 10 years and raising 拢15,000. He completed the challenge instead in eight years and reached his fundraising target for Parkinson鈥檚 UK.
In total he has now completed 120 official marathons, and during his journey, Simon realised the power of running not just to highlight important causes, but also for its ability to bring people together.
In 2024, he started a new campaign to run with a new person each day, snapping photos with the friends, family members, strangers and celebrities who have joined him for his daily exercise.
Williamson is looking to raise another 拢30,000 over the calendar year and is on cusp of hitting 拢25,000.
Yesterday part-time runner Maguire answered the call to join the fundraiser on a run through Cuerden Valley Park near Chorley.
Williamson has previously run with ex-cricketer Jimmy Adams an Adam Holland, the Guinness World Record holder for completing 10 marathons in 10 days in the fastest aggregate time.
He said:聽鈥淚鈥檝e been astonished by how much goodwill there is around running. It鈥檚 such a healthy habit. We all need to move as much as we can, and there is a wonderful community out there trying to make that happen.
鈥淢y mother was always such a hard-working and active person and Parkinson鈥檚 continues to take a lot from her. I鈥檓 doing this for her 鈥� to raise awareness of a debilitating condition and give something back to a charity doing vital work.
鈥淢y message is simple: Keep running as long as you can. If I can inspire just one person to take up this healthy habit I鈥檒l have achieved my mission.
鈥淚 am still looking for running partners for the remainder of the year and my calendar is open for anyone that would like to join me. I鈥檇 like to add a few famous faces to the list of challenge companions to spread the important message as far as possible. The leap year means there鈥檚 an extra day to run this year which I鈥檓 relishing.鈥�
Williamson is set to complete his 366-day challenge on New Year鈥檚 Eve 鈥� crossing the finish line in Center Parcs, where he鈥檒l be spending time with his family.
Track his journey and donate to Simon鈥檚 #syrun365聽聽page, fundraising on Parkinson鈥檚 UK.