Family members of marathon man Adam Jovic - who live in Begelly and Kilgetty - have celebrated his arrival at Lands End having set out from John O’Groats to walk the length of the UK for cancer charities.
Adam set himself the target of completing 33 marathons in 33 days - and raising £3,000 for Prostate Cancer UK and Macmillan Cancer Support in the process.
He is running for people like his father Spiro who has had prostrate cancer and his aunt Carole Langston who lives in Begelly and has been diagnosed with Stage 4 melanoma skin cancer.
“Cancer has affected many others I know. And while we can’t always directly control the outcome, we can support these charities that do so much and mean so much.”
Adam’s mum Elaine was born here in Pembrokeshire and lived in Kilgetty, where his grandmother Raydene Morgan still lives. Adam comes down to visit his family in Pembrokeshire a lot throughout the year. He did the Cardiff Triathlon in the summer with his brother John and cousin Darcy who lives in Begelly.
28-year-old Adam started running on his 21st birthday when he went up Mount Snowdon.
Three years ago he did an ultramarathon to raise money for cardiac risk in the young and to buy a defibrillator for his Redwood Glade neighbourhood.
Adam was inspired to run the length of the UK he joined Russell Cook in Tunisia earlier this year, but when fellow competitor Hannah collapsed beside him, he abandoned the race to accompany her to hospital.
“I owe my life to him and a few other special people who managed to get me to hospital,” said Hannah, urging everyone to support Adam’s latest challenge: “Go show some love!”
The Jogle (John O’ Groats to Lands End) challenge was not without its setbacks. Writing on his Facebook blog, Adam explained: “A tiny piece of wood got trapped in my left shoe heel. I didn’t realise it until I took my shoe off and discovered the biggest, nastiest blister cluster. Add a burning Achilles tendon from hill climbing and it made for two days of essentially limp running.”
Looking back on his achievement, Adam has recorded the following stats: “33 running days; 886 miles ran; 0 rest days; 3 countries; 1,913,930 steps; Approximately 130,000 kcal burned; 43,317 ft elevation climbed (Max flying altitude for a Boeing 737 plane); Wildlife spots - 1 Scottish Wildcat, 1 Stoat, 1 Red Deer, a group of Red Squirrels, and unlimited sheep. One loving, loyal family”
“Cancer treatments saved my dad's life,” he added, “and are continuing to save my aunts, as well as countless family members of friends I've been told about. They are the real, legitimate warriors. The heroes. The ones who put up the real fight and keep going. I could stop running at anytime. Anytime it got too painful, uncomfortable, I could call it off. They don’t have that privilege.
Adam’s fundraising target has been more than doubled, with the total in excess of £6,800 at the time of writing. Visit linktr.ee/adamjovic to add your support.