Devon vicar ran from John O’ Groats to Land’s End
A Devon-based reverend and formal Royal Marine, Justin Montague, ran for 17 days from John O’Groats to Land’s End – he arrived on Sunday (24th March!).
John O’Groats is the northernmost point of the country, and Land’s End is the southwesternmost point.
Montague is the reverend of St Michael’s Church in Beer, East Devon, and he’s completing the run to raise money for the Royal Marines Association and his East Devon church.
What does the journey entail?
The 603-mile journey is usually a cycling route, although some do hike or long-distance run it! However, running it for 17 days straight is quite the challenge – Montague ran two marathons per day for 17 days straight.
He finished the epic journey on schedule on 24th March, after taking just 17 days to journey the entire country on just two feet.
Why did Montague do this challenge?
Montague said that “Ten years ago, I was a serving Royal Marine, Afghanistan veteran and endurance athlete…However, that was not the end of my story”.
He took medical retirement in 2016 and retrained as a priest. He became ordained in 2018 and has been the vicar of St Michael’s and St Gregory’s in 2022.
He’s been spurred onto completing this challenge due to a chronic illness. He mentions that “the route is iconic and for any ultra-distance runner, it’s a dream.”
The time of year is significant for Montague, being a religious man, as it’s during the Lent season and is a pilgrimage for him.
So, while he will hopefully earn plenty of money for his chosen charity, it’s also representative of overcoming health problems and testing human endurance.
How to get involved?
To get a recap on Montague’s entire journey, take a look at his Facebook page.
