Marathon dad to take on gruelling ultramarathon to raise money for care unit

TIM Webster is not your normal dad.
Marathoner Tim Webster, 41 with his seven-month-old daughter Freya at their home in BaffinsMarathoner Tim Webster, 41 with his seven-month-old daughter Freya at their home in Baffins
Marathoner Tim Webster, 41 with his seven-month-old daughter Freya at their home in Baffins

The 41-year-old has completed 19 marathons and nine gruelling ultramarathons in the last twenty years, including six finishes at the London Marathon and the backbreaking six-day, 156-mile Marathon des Sables in Morocco back in 2009.

However, despite Tim’s worldwide exploits, he faced a new challenge this January when his daughter, Freya, was born prematurely at the Queen Alexandra Hospital.

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Freya was placed into the neonatal intensive care unit for six weeks to receive treatment and now, seven months on, Tim has decided to raise money for the unit and for children’s hospice Naomi House by taking on his biggest challenge yet.

At around 6pm last night, Tim set off to complete the punishing 106-mile ultramarathon on Mont Blanc in the French Alps.

Tim told The News ahead of the race: ‘This is the big one that I’ve spent years building up to.

‘It is one of the toughest ultramarathons in the world and I know how hard it’s going to be.

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The route see’s more than 2,300 runners navigate around the foot of the mountain at Chamonix before scaling it and then coming back down to the town.

The runners get 48 hours to finish the race, although Tim is looking to complete it in about 46 and a half hours.

Tim, whose best time in a marathon was in Paris, when he finished in three hours and 46 minutes, says that the care unit staff were amazing in helping he and his wife, Caroline, when Freya needed care.

The paramedic, who lives in Langstone Road, Baffins, said: ‘The staff there were so amazing to me and Caroline that I just thought about fundraising for them to really highlight the work that they did for Freya and other families.

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‘There is no doubt in my mind that Freya will be on my thoughts when I’m trekking around that mountain and I’m really doing this all for her.’

Tim says the reason he takes on ultramarathons is because of the beautiful scenery he gets to witness while out in the wilderness.

He added: ‘There’s just a different feel to it. Nothing really compares to being out there, taking in all those environments.’

In addition to the 106 miles, Tim will also have to take on tumultuous weather conditions, with temperatures ranging from 32C to freezing at different times.

Tim is hoping to raise £1,000 for the charities as a result of the excursion.

To donate to Tim’s fundraising total, head to justgiving.com/teams/timwebster.

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