FORMER Milverton man Alex Lethbridge will be taking part in the gruelling 112 mile Devon coast to coast ultra marathon from Wembury to Lynmouth in 30 hours on Saturday, April 18, to raise £12,000 for Cure Parkinson’s.

Transcending Dartmoor & Exmoor, the continuous race includes 16,000ft of elevation. With little signage and running through the night, map reading is vital. Alex will expend 17,000 calories while clocking over 200,000 steps meaning food consumption is the key to completion.

Brought up on Exmoor, Alex is returning to his roots, where the Worthies of Devon counts Ragnar Lothbrok, as one of his ancestors. The world’s greatest living explorer, Sir Ranulph Fiennes, has always been a great inspiration, and was an Exmoor neighbour and friend of Alex’s parents. Alex tried to get him to the finish, but Sir Ranulph, who also suffers from Parkinson’s has now moved away from his beloved Exmoor.

Twenty two years ago Alex, who lived in Milverton for five years, successfully ran the 151 mile Marathon des Sables desert marathon to help raise money for the Milverton Church organ fund.

The Devon coast to coast is a much tougher assignment as you don’t get to sleep! Alex has been training for the past eleven months, accumulating training 1300 miles and just over 5 million steps. Leaving the house four times a week at 4.30am to run 10-20 miles before breakfast, he has just enough time to see his three boys, kiss his patient wife goodbye and head to work.

He has trained in Cyprus, Italy & France, as well as some wintery training marathons on Dartmoor.

Why is Alex doing this. Five years ago, his wonderful mother was diagnosed with Parkinson’s. Many people have heard of Parkinson’s, but very few know anything about the disease. People who were once active, healthy and full of energy, in just a few years can find themselves relying on full time carers & wheelchairs.

The symptoms are painful, nonstop, and very difficult to medicate. Parkinson’s is a neurological condition that affects millions worldwide and has become one of the world’s fastest growing diseases.

Cure Parkinson’s was Founded in 2005 by four Parkinson’s sufferers frustrated at the lack of progress toward a cure. Since then, the charity has invested millions into pioneering research, accelerated scientific discoveries, and opened up new avenues for treatments that aim to slow, stop, or even reverse Parkinson’s, but more pounds are needed!!

Every donation will fund vital research that will help defeat this crippling disease and transform the lives of all Parkinson’s sufferers. Every pound is one step closer to a cure.

Donations can be sent to Alex’s Just Giving page or direct to Cure Parkinson’s