An 8-year-old boy taking on the mammoth challenge of running the entire 70-mile coastline of the Isle of Wight has reached the halfway point – with his sights now firmly set on completing the challenge later this month.
Charlie, from Lymington, has been tackling the Island’s coastal route in stages throughout the school summer holidays while raising money for the RNLI.
The youngster, who was 8 years and 4 months old when the challenge was announced, is completing sections of around 8 miles at a time, travelling across the Solent on multiple occasions and picking up from where he previously finished.
Having now made it halfway around the Isle of Wight, Charlie is preparing to continue his impressive effort this week.
The next stage will take place on Wednesday (12th August), when he is due to run from Yaverland to Woody Bay.
He will return to the route on Thursday (13th August), continuing from Woody Bay to the Dinosaur Expedition Centre.
Charlie and his family are aiming to complete the entire challenge on 20th August, with the final run expected to finish in Yarmouth during the mid-afternoon.
As previously reported by Island Echo, Charlie set himself the 70-mile challenge as a test of his determination, preparation and perseverance.
Living in Lymington, Charlie and his family spend much of their time swimming, sailing and paddleboarding, as well as enjoying the coastline.
His mum, Emma Jeans, previously explained that this connection inspired Charlie to support the RNLI and its volunteer crews, who respond to emergencies around the Isle of Wight, the Solent and coastlines across the UK.
Emma Jeans, Charlie’s mother, has previously said:
“Charlie has always loved being outdoors and has set himself this challenge to see what he can achieve through determination, preparation and perseverance.
“As a family living in Lymington, we spend a great deal of our time on, in and by the water. Whether we’re swimming, sailing, paddleboarding or simply enjoying the coastline, the sea is a huge part of our lives.”
The family has seen over £1000 raised for the life-saving charity and with donations still flooding in, Charlie’s challenge has raised well over his original £250 goal.
You can show your support here.
