A BARTON Stacey runner has completed his first marathon, but not exactly how he initially imagined the race would be.

Nick Edmonds took on the challenge of running the 26.2-mile distance on the day of what would have been the Brighton Marathon, after it was cancelled in response to the Covid-19 pandemic.

The father of two pounded the pavements around the Winchester district, at the same time as his wife and three other members of the family ran varying distances to raise funds for Pancreatic Cancer Research Fund.

“Two members of my family were diagnosed in a short space of time. My mum, around two years after my uncle’s funeral, got the news that she had been diagnosed – it was like history repeating itself,” Nick said.

Fortunately, Nick’s mum was given the all clear after receiving treatment, and the family wanted to pay thanks.

The group of five had planned to run different distances in Brighton but with the events cancelled they decided that would not stop them.

“We were talking and said ‘why don’t we just do it anyway’, then the day came and we went out and did our respective distances.”

While Nick and his wife Katherine ran locally, relatives Helen Bradley, Gail Edmonds and Naomi Slattery ran through the streets of Beaconsfield; Ashbourne, Derbyshire; and Macclesfield.

But the 36-year-old’s run wasn’t without challenges, firstly he had had to carry enough water for the whole route which left him “feeling like a pack horse”, and then he got to the finish line to find his wife and children were nowhere in sight.

“I had forgotten to tell my wife and my girls where exactly the finishing line was, I got to the stopping point of my run and there was no one there.

“In the distance I saw my family there and had to start running again, after 26.2miles I had to run a bit further.”

However, the extra distance was worth it, with Nick and the rest of the family raising over £1,500 for the Pancreatic Cancer Research Fund.

Nick said: “It feels amazing [to raise so much]. It is a really great charity funding important and significant research, anything we can do to help them so other families can have good outcomes.”

To donate, go to www.justgiving.com/fundraising/nickedmondsbrighton.