We are very proud of Mike Bevan, our Director of Operations, who will take on the challenge of completing the Barcelona, London and the Edinburgh Marathons 2020 all in 10 weeks – in aid of learning disabilities charity Mencap.
Mike is training hard for more than 110 competitive miles, starting in February 2020, and he is running 100 training miles per month. He even pushed on with his training programme in the 40-degree centigrade heat and humidity of the Middle East, during a recent break there.
He said: “Mencap is the London Marathon charity of the year so I was pleased to be chosen to support the charity with my run, since learning disabilities is a cause that, of course, means a lot to me. I hope that by running the Barcelona and the Edinburgh marathons too, within 10 weeks of each other, it will raise more awareness for the wonderful cause– and more money for this excellent cause.”
Mike has taken on the London Marathon in the past, running for mental health charity MIND, and raising around £2000. He is hoping to exceed this tally this time.
Mike has worked with people with learning disabilities for around 13 years, having come from a career in construction. He explains: “I was one of those young people who didn’t know what to do after my A Levels. My dad ran a construction firm, so I followed him into that industry and worked in construction for a few years. But my mind always went back to a short period of time I worked in a hydrotherapy unit, helping children with autism. I loved the experience, so one day I just decided to make a career change.
“Many people around me thought I was making the wrong decision. There have been stressful times, and the industry requires dedication, but there are so many opportunities within adult care, there is so much quality training and there are valuable career progression opportunities. It was, in fact, the best thing I ever did.”
If you want to support Mike on his marathon activities, find his fundraising page here:
https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/michael-bevan12
