Connor prepares to take on 126km Roath challenge for causes close to his heart

Running more than 126 kilometres across 24 hours would be a daunting challenge for any athlete. For Connor, the reason for doing it will be waiting for him on the route itself.

On Friday 25 September, Connor will begin an extraordinary endurance challenge around Roath Lake and Roath Recreation Ground, running a 5.27km loop every hour, on the hour, for 24 consecutive hours.

Conprove Club Backyard Ultra Marathon for Alzheimer's

Conprove Club Ultra Marathon for Cardiff Dogs Home

Starting at 11am on Friday and continuing through the night until the final lap finishes at 10am on Saturday 26 September, completing every loop would see him cover around 126km, the equivalent of three marathons.

The challenge is being organised through Conprove Club, the free Cardiff running community Connor has grown over the past few years. What began with a small group meeting for runs has developed into a welcoming community bringing together runners of different ages, backgrounds and abilities, from experienced athletes to people taking their first steps into running.

Connor will be joined in the challenge by four other Conprove Club runners, including several members of the Cardiff Met community. Current students Ella Ozikiz, who studies Sport, PE and Health, and Emily Weale, who studies Sport and Exercise Health, will take part alongside Gabriel Nico, who begins Biomedical Sciences (Sport, Health and Nutrition) at Cardiff Met this September, and Accounting alumnus William ‘Hicko’ Hickman.

The format gives the runners a relatively simple instruction with a brutal consequence. Each 5.27km lap must be completed in time for them to return to the start line when the next hour begins. Whatever time remains after completing a lap can be used to eat, drink, recover or, during the night, attempt to sleep.

Anyone who fails to return in time for the next hourly start is recorded as DNF, or Did Not Finish.

Connor has been preparing with around 11 to 13 hours of training each week, combining four strength sessions with five runs while also working full-time. Despite the scale of what lies ahead, he has never previously completed a marathon, with his longest run to date standing at 32km.

“I know it is going to be tough physically, but I think the mental challenge will be even harder,” he said.

That challenge, however, has a purpose far beyond completing the distance.

Connor and the team will be raising money for Alzheimer’s Research UK and Cardiff Dogs Home, two organisations with particularly personal connections for him.

“My nan currently has dementia, and the care home she lives in is actually on the route I’ll be running for the 24 hours, which makes the challenge feel incredibly personal,” Connor explained. “I want to use the challenge to support people and families affected by dementia.”

Cardiff Dogs Home is equally close to his family. Connor grew up around rescue dogs and has welcomed more than 15 foster dogs into his home over the years, while his mum continues to dedicate a significant amount of time to helping dogs in need.

Those personal connections mean the event is designed to be about much more than five runners testing the limits of their endurance.

Connor wants the wider Cardiff community to become part of the challenge, whether by running one of the hourly laps alongside the group, making a donation or simply visiting their base camp in the Wild Gardens on the northern side of Roath Lake to offer some encouragement.

“I’d love to have people get involved along the way, whether that’s donating, joining me for a lap or simply popping down to say hello, grab a coffee and show some support,” he said.

“Every donation, lap and bit of encouragement will genuinely mean a lot and help get me through those 24 hours.”

The first lap begins at 11am on Friday 25 September, with the challenge continuing throughout the day and night before the final lap finishes at 10am on Saturday 26 September.

Could you join the team for a lap, make a donation or head to Roath Lake to cheer them on as they raise money for Alzheimer’s Research UK and Cardiff Dogs Home?