Glos Echo, Feb 08

Ironman Ian's running eight marathons in eight days!

By Chris Amery

Ian Corless who hopes to complete eight marathons in eight days!

FOR your average person, completing one marathon would rank as a massive achievement. But Ian Corless isn't Mr Average...and he aims to prove it by running eight marathons in eight days!Ian (41) from Chain Lane, plans to spend a week slogging the 185 miles from The Cotswolds to the Thames Barrier next month - the equivalent of seven back-to-back marathons - before competing in the Flora London Marathon the very next day!To prepare for his mammoth challenge, the former elite cyclist has been competing in two marathons a month, as well as clocking up more than 400 miles in his monthly training schedule.Ian explained: "Since October I've run 12 half-marathons, seven marathons and two ultras - which are above marathon distance - as well as averaging about 100 miles a week in my training."However hard I find it to last the course, I will finish. My motto for this challenge is Run when you can, walk if you can't, crawl if you have to - just don't give up'!"A former Cowley High and Gamble Art College student, Ian has had to juggle his lung-bursting training stints with his full-time job as a studio photographer and his 'side venture' as a triathlon coachWaking up at 6am every day, he typically runs 16 miles before work and 11 miles afterwards!And Ian, who is set to fly out to Lanzarote next week for a warm weather training camp, wants other runners to join him along sections of the Thames Path from April 6-12 to help raise money for the 'Jane's Appeal' charity - set up in memory of marathon-running cancer patient Jane Tomlinson CBE.Ian, who recently re-located to Tewkesbury in Gloucestershire, added: "Jane was a true inspiration. She took on endurance events as she was dying. I have several family members who've been touched by cancer and when Jane died, I decided to act."

To add your support to Ian, you can make a donation online at www.justgiving.com/iancorless Find out more about Ian's challenge at www.trainingtrips.net