Meet the 72-year-old running six international marathons for Tangmere charity

John Miles is from East Ashling and runs to raise money for Dementia Support

An East Ashling 72-year-old's post-retirement resolution to get fit has led him to a challenge that will see him conquer six international marathons in aid of a local charity.  

John Miles started his journey finding "running 100 yards" a challenge. Now, he's getting ready to tackle New York as part of the renowned "Marathon Majors" - an elite set of worldwide races for esteemed runners - and it's all to fundraise for Tangmere's Dementia Support. 

His participation in events began after a neighbour noticed his running habit and suggested to John that he take part in the Chichester half marathon, which he thought "sounds fun". 

"I then carried from there and started thinking about putting a marathon on my bucket list. 

"I did that marathon thinking right, that's it, tick it off. After it finished, I thought, yes that's it, I won’t do of those again, it's such a gruelling event."

"Two days later I'd entered for the following year."

John's impressive time at the 2021 London Marathon was the key that unlocked his entry into the Majors. He's since completed the Boston run in April, and more recently, Chicago last weekend, where he finished the race with the time of 3.51 - crowning him 7th out of 113 in his age group. 

Competing against people his age is one of the things that John enjoys most about marathons. But when it comes to running itself, his hometown is what motivates him to keep going. 

John described, "I live just West of Chichester in what I think is glorious West Sussex.

"There are some fantastic routes to run, both down towards the sea and up into the Downs. I just love it."

These routes allow him to complete long runs and build up the stamina for his marathons, of which he advises aspiring runners to complete in increments of "20 miles of more". John also suggests following "one of the published programs", which is how he managed to get up to speed. 

The money he raises will go towards Dementia Support, who aim to "help as many people as possible navigate the journey of dementia", alongside supporting "family, friends and carers". 

But after dedicating five days a week to running, it's a wonder what John plans to do once his training, and final marathon, are completed. 

"I look at marathon running as a bit of an addiction," John says. 

"I'm hoping that when I've done these six, that will be the end of my addiction, and I can go back to gentler running just to keep fit.

"Whether that'll work of course is something else!" he laughed.

You can donate to John on JustGiving by clicking here. He aims to raise £5,000 for charity after seeing people close to him living with dementia, something Dementia Support is "truly grateful" for. 

Head of Fundraising and Communications James Lovell said: "We are inspired to be part of such an exciting challenge and we will all be cheering John on from back in the UK.”

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

We have a small favour to ask.

Hundreds of thousands of local listeners across Sussex have placed their trust in V2 Radio’s commitment to proper local radio since we started broadcasting in January 2021, tuning in to us to for company, local news, local travel, events and entertainment.

Unlike many others, V2 Radio has no shareholders and no billionaire owner, nor do we receive any licence fees. Just the determination and passion to deliver a quality and impartial service to our communities we serve across Sussex. And we provide all this for free, for everyone to listen to across the airwaves and to read on our website & mobile app. Everyone can benefit from open access to all our content regardless of their ability to pay for it.

Every contribution, however big or small, powers our ability to invest in campaigns like our charity appeals, our unbiased journalism and it also helps to sustain the future of V2 Radio for many years to come.