Steve James, a 66-year-old retired banker, completed a 5,240-mile journey around the coastline of mainland Britain on foot. He finished his 200th marathon in 200 days in Topsham, Devon, where he had started the challenge on April 16.
James expressed mixed emotions at the finish line. «It's been months of pushing my body to its limits. I'm proud, I'm exhausted, and I can't quite believe I've done it,» he said. Greeted by friends and family, he reflected on the significance: «Being greeted by my friends and family at the finish line, its hit me how much this has taken, and what it means to me to have made it. When I started this challenge, I just wanted to see if I could do it and to think I've run all the way around Britain at 66… even my knees can't believe it.»
The journey tested both physical and mental endurance. «There were plenty of days I thought, 'what on earth am I doing?' I've had every kind of weather, every kind of ache,» James explained. «But it's just shown me that you're never too old to take on something huge. You've just got to start and keep going.»
Scientific Monitoring
Researchers at the University of Exeter tracked James's health throughout the challenge. Dr Freyja Haigh, a nutritional physiology researcher, analyzed fortnightly blood samples and daily measurements of his calorie intake, energy expenditure, and body composition. «We know exercise is good for us, but to what extent?» she asked.
The results proved encouraging. «We've seen no detriment to overall health, from the fortnightly blood samples Steve has sent us, and the body measurement changes suggest that Steve's weight loss is a result of fat rather than muscle which is a positive result to see after such a long time in an energy deficit,» Dr Haigh said. She added: «It will be interesting to see just how much muscle Steve has maintained when we get him back in the lab for post challenge tests.»
James documented his journey on social media as "Banker on the Run" and raised funds for Cancer Research UK through a JustGiving page. After seven months without rest, he looked forward to recovery: «I haven't had a day off in seven months so I'm quite looking forward to the prospect of a lie-in and not having to complete 26 miles tomorrow.»
Note: This article was created with Artificial Intelligence (AI).
