Mike Gudgeon, a Pitreavie AAC Endurance section member since 2015, is well known in the local running community for his love of long distance trail running. Not content with simply running a marathon, Mike has run longer ultra races, including the 53 mile Highland Fling, the Cateran Trail 55 (mile) race, and the classic 96 mile West Highland Way race.
After his original plan to run an ultra in Gran Canaria was cancelled due to COVID-19 restrictions Mike set himself a personal challenge - to run the 117 mile Fife Coastal Path in under 30 hours in April. Buddied by a relay of Pitreavie AAC Endurance members, Mike ran through the night from St. Andrews to finish at the Kincardine early on a Saturday morning. To the delight of his family and friends, Mike broke his 30 hour goal by running the length of the coastal path in an amazing 26 hours and 52 mins. An astonishing physical and mental achievement!
As well as setting himeself this tough challenge, Mike was keen to use this as an opportunity to raise money to thank the staff on the COVID wards at Queen Margaret Hospital. The staff there cared for Mike’s mother-in-law prior to her, very sadly, passing away from COVID-19 last year. As Mike says ‘the staff were amazingly supportive throughout the time she was on the ward, and at such a difficult time for the family’. Though Mike is very happy to have broken his original target of £500, and has now raised £2190, he’d be delighted if anyone would like to support him in thanking our local NHS heroes by donating to his Just Giving page below.
