Edinburgh man sets challenge to run 310km for dementia charity

A Balerno man has nearly smashed his fundraising target after setting himself the challenge of running 10km every day for Alzheimer’s Research UK in honour of his mum.

So far, Ian Elliott, 42, has raised £750 out of his £1,000 goal as part of Alzheimer’s Research UK’s Running Down Dementia challenge.

Dr Elliott – senior lecturer in public leadership and management at Northumbria University – said: “My mum (Mary) is one of over 850,000 people across the UK living with dementia.

"I’ve taken part in the Running Down Dementia challenge for a few years now.

“This year I decided to do something a bit different by running 10km every day during August. It’s a great way to get fit and raise money for an important cause.”

Alzheimer’s Research UK is the country’s leading dementia research charity dedicated to making life-changing breakthroughs in the prevention, treatment and cure of the condition.

The charity is challenging people to run either 100km, 300km, or their own choice of distance between 1 March and 31 August to raise money for the charity.

Ian is running 10km a day in honour of his mum, Mary, who was diagnosed with dementia. Picture: Submitted

Since it was launched in 2016, the Running Down Dementia campaign has raised over £1 million for life-changing research.

Julia Sobik, Head of Sporting Events at Alzheimer’s Research UK, said: “We are so grateful to everyone who is clocking up the kilometres for Running Down Dementia.

"The vital funds raised will help us in our mission to make breakthroughs possible for people with dementia that will keep them connected to their families, their worlds and themselves for longer.”

To sign up for Running Down Dementia, go to run.thetreblechallenge.org, and to sponsor Dr Elliott, visit: https://run.thetreblechallenge.org/pages/ian-elliott2021

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