Believing that anything is possible if you want it enough, Westfield’s inspirational Marathon Man, John Reynolds, who has made local and national headlines over the years through his awe-inspiring running challenges, is to take to the road once again, due to complete an incredible fifteen back-to-back half marathons prior to joining the Time is Precious team at the Bath Half start line on Sunday, 12th March.

As well as supporting the Coleford-based charity with this epic run, which will begin on Thursday, 9th March, ensuring he is back in the city by the 12th, John has been training this year’s marathon team, having set up the Westfield TT running club, which will be a year old in April, and which has been going from strength to strength; encouraging and inspiring new runners of all ages across the area.

John’s latest adventure, covering 200 miles, begins at the top of Glastonbury Tor at 10 p.m. next Thursday. He estimates it will take him about sixty hours to complete, finishing in Bath at 10 a.m. on the Sunday, ready to warm up with the Time is Precious team before encouraging them around the city’s own half marathon. The route will take him through Glastonbury, the Mendips and Shepton Mallet and back home to Westfield at around 6 a.m. on Friday morning. From there, he aims to complete a further two eighty-mile circuits towards Bath, taking in Newton St Lowe, Saltford, Keynsham, Brislington, Bristol City Centre out to Dundry Hill, Winford, the Chew Valley, over the Mendips, into Wells and then home in time to refresh and run into Bath for the start of the Half Marathon.

Speaking to The Journal this week, John said: “I have estimated I will burn 20,000 calories during this challenge and will only be able to take four fifteen minute power naps.” While most runners would perhaps rely on jelly babies and protein, John confesses he is often fuelled by a mixture of cream cakes, chips, Guiness, doughnuts and Mcdonald’s milk shakes!

But running has quite literally saved John’s life. His sheer determination to walk again after complications from radiotherapy for a thyroid condition led to him running the Midsomer Norton Half Marathon in 2004. He found that keeping his body moving was the best way to live with the condition, upping his mileage and eventually taking on Marathons and Ultra Marathons. In 2009 he ran 110 miles for Children’s Hospice South West and by 2012 he had beaten the 409 mile American world record by covering 440 miles in six days and eight hours. He was honoured to carry the Olympic torch through Frome in 2012 and represented Great Britain in a race along the Alps covering 11,000 metres of ascent, despite not being a great fan of heights and has planned runs around England, Wales, Scotland and Ireland.

Knowing his body’s capabilities as well as he does, John knew that something was wrong when running a coastal Ultra Marathon not so long ago. Recalling the experience, John says that it was the only time he could recall wanting to give up on a run. But willpower pushed him through, the lethargy cleared and soon he felt like he was flying along the route. Doctors later told John that he had suffered three heart attacks with his main arteries to the heart collapsing. The effort of the run had pushed them open and ensured he had lived. If he had given up, it is very likely he would not be here today.

John will be joined at various points during next week’s challenge by volunteers from the many running clubs he helps support in the local area, who are all celebrating their own achievements. Speaking about the Westfield TT Club John said: “It has gone amazingly, and the rewards are priceless – seeing so many happy people achieving their goals each week.”

As well the 160 local runners, this year’s Time is Precious’ Bath Half team includes Patron and Actor, Will Thorp and Frome-based boxer, Ryan Wheeler.

Neil Halford, co-founder of Time is Precious, said: “We have a few projects coming up this year, including putting more seating in the RUH waiting areas and the Teenage Room there is now fully functioning with gadgets. We’re going to be working with the Burns Unit in Bristol Children’s Hospital, providing wall art to brighten it up and make it more child friendly, putting in low level lighting.”

Neil and the rest of the charity’s volunteers aren’t just preparing for the Bath Half, after having one of their films nominated for a BAFTA Charity Film award, they will excitedly make their way to London on 15th March to a BAFTA ceremony to find out how they place.

“It’s unbelievable when we’re up against big charities – it’s a proper red carpet, black tie event. It’ll be great to recognise the efforts of everyone involved and all of the local people who took part in the video.”

Whether it is gearing up for the Half Marathon or walking down a red carpet, it certainly is exciting times ahead for Neil, Nicky, John and the team at Time is Precious.

Speaking about the 200 mile challenge and being supported by so many local runners, John said: “It is a huge physical achievement and a new record, time-wise, but if I can pull it off, it will hopefully boost all the runners taking part and inspire them.”

John is currently running clubs for all abilities Wednesday, Thursday and Friday evenings and Saturday mornings. On a Sunday, he likes to take himself off for a run around Ebbor Gorge at 6 a.m., so he’s ready to lead his Sunday morning club at 9 a.m.

When he’s not running, he’s meticulously planning his next excursion, working on a book and hoping to start a new talk project in conjunction with local schools. He would also like to start new running sessions in April for parents and children to run together.

Readers can sponsor John’s huge effort for Time is Precious at: www.virginmoneygiving.com/johnreynolds and for more information about Time is Precious and their BAFTA nomination, as well as their projects this year, visit: www.timeisprecious.org