A father’s 52 marathons in a year challenge was dealt a cruel blow when a car crash left him unable to run the final one.
In the collision, Justin Malin of Twyford broke his sternum bone in his chest and had whiplash injuries. His daughter, Fleur, 12, had a cut above her eye.
The smash involving the car Justin was driving and another vehicle was at Hare Hatch’s A4 and London Road junction on Thursday, September 21.
Police said of the person driving the other vehicle: “Rupert Woodhouse, aged 47, of Glebe Lane, Sonning, was charged with one count of driving a motor vehicle when alcohol was above the limit.
“He has been bailed to appear at Reading Magistrates’ Court on October 27. He suffered minor injuries in the collision.”
Justin’s last marathon, the day after his 50th birthday, was to be in the Twyford area with a triumphal lap of Stanlake Meadow, Twyford at the end.
He was to be accompanied by Fleur and her fellow players in the Twyford Comets girls’ football team who play there. Fleur is a student at The Piggott School, Wargrave.
Justin still turned out three days later to see the Comets play – and to mark his runs so far. His family ran a cake stall to raise £271 for Reading-based national charity Make-A-Wish UK.
So far, his challenge has raised more than £6,000 for the charity.
He said: “I’m thoroughly gutted I couldn’t do the marathon. My injury will take a long time to repair but the final marathon is only postponed.”
Justin treated Saturday as a celebration of what he and his supporters have achieved, telling them: “What a super fantastic turn out to my celebration. You were all super generous. Thank you so much.”
During the past year Justin has battled on with his running despite having had Covid, painful legs, blisters, back seizures and toe nail problems.
“It has been an amazing challenge. A couple of weeks ago I was in Boston in the United States for work and a gentleman there created a marathon route for me,” he said.
“I ran marathons tied in with Fleur’s matches. If they played away I did a 26 mile route including the away venue. For home games I went from Twyford along the river [Thames] to Hurley, Henley and Shiplake,” he said.
Justin was inspired to support to support Make-A-Wish UK by his daughter Eva, a former Emmbrook School student, who works for the charity.
“She talked a lot about the children that the charity helps,” he said.
“I have three healthy daughters and I wanted to raise money to give other children that are either critically ill or their siblings a chance to experience a wish and joy in their lives.
“Make-A-Wish UK creates life-changing wishes that revive the childhood that critical illness takes away, bringing light and joy at the darkest of times for a child and their loved ones.”
Justin is pricing director for Volante in London who are match funding money raised by his supporters. You can donate using this link https://justgiving.com/fundraising/Justin-Malin
