WHILE most people are wrapped up warm inside their homes during the coldest winter in years, one dedicated athlete is braving the icy elements in pursuit of his goal to run 100 miles in just 24 hours.

Jonathan Schofield

WHILE most people are wrapped up warm inside their homes during the coldest winter in years, one dedicated athlete is braving the icy elements in pursuit of his goal to run 100 miles in just 24 hours.

Tom Kingsnorth, 30, of Church Road, Bury St Edmunds, is currently pounding country lanes and snowbound footpaths hour after hour in his lung-busting training programme to compete in the Devon 100 in April.

If he completes the coast to coast course in the allocated time across the county he hopes to raise thousands of pounds for both St Nicholas and St Elizabeth Hospices in Suffolk.

As he limbered up for a long run in Nowton Park yesterday he said his motivation was fuelled by what he had seen at the hospices.

“I've been to visit and when you see people who would give anything to be able to run around the hospice garden it doesn't seem like quite such an ordeal to be doing this,” said Mr Kingsnorth, a member of the Saint Edmund Pacers Running Club.

“I'm putting everything into this, both in my training and fundraising. That's why I've chosen to do such a major one-off event like the Devon 100.”

Mr Kingsnorth, who works as a PA to the headteacher at Kings School in Ely, has never run the distance before and to avoid injury only plans to run up to 30 miles before the race.

He said: “My wife and family think I'm bonkers but the real test on the day will not be physical, it will be mental. I keep imagining what it will be like at 2am in the middle of Dartmoor when I still have six hours left to run and I know it will be a case of just keeping it together and focusing.”

The Loughborough University graduate and son of St Elizabeth Hospice chaplain, Jane Kingsnorth, he is appealing for people to donate any amount they can.

Rachael Mittell, St Elizabeth Hospice community fundraiser, said: “Tom has set himself a tough challenge and I hope lots of people will support and encourage him. Whatever he raises will go towards the �5.9 million needed each year to continue to provide services for our patients, carers and their families.”

Only 50 athletes have been shortlisted for the first Devon 100 which will take place on April 24. Runners will set off from Ilfracombe on the north Devon coast and run non-stop to Plymouth in the south within 27 hours or face disqualification.

Anyone who would like to sponsor Mr Kingsnorth should go to www.justgiving.com/TK-100miles or www.justgiving.com/Tom-100miles or phone 07941 589796.