Solihull man runs marathons

A young Catholic from the West Midlands is all set to run six marathons in the height of summer to draw attention to the plight of Russian orphans.

Richard Peers, 26 and from Solihull, is will run six marathons across three continents in the height of summer throughout the course of August.

Mr Peers said: “I have decided to take up this challenge to raise awareness for the many thousands of Russian orphans whose lives are deprived of the basic necessities that we often take for granted.”
He became involved with an orphanage, Kostroma Kids, when teaching in Russia last year. The orphanage, in Kostroma near Moscow, is regulated by the US charity iOrphan.com.

Mr Peers, who admits to having never run 26 miles before, will first travel to Africa with leading members of the Conservative Party to establish a community centre in Rwanda.

He said: “I have been preparing myself for an early start in Kigali when the sun rises at 5am. To run so early and at 6,000ft is certainly a test in itself. However, I have arranged for a team of local runners to accompany myself on my first marathon to make it a more enjoyable occasion.”

A 62-hour journey will take Mr Peers through Romania, Moldova and to Ukraine so that he will undertake his second marathon in Yalta, on the Black Sea coast and where the Second World War officially ended. He will travel into Russia to complete a further three marathons in Krasnodar, Moscow and St Petersburg, again accompanied by fellow Russian athletes, before ending his endeavours in Tallinn, Estonia.

Mr Peers, who is a coach and scout for Burnley FC’s junior development centre in Cheshire, says that raising funds for young people is an aim close to his heart.

He has set up a website for people to visit and asks people to kindly donate to his cause.
Having independently organised the whole feat, he has set the bar high and aims to raise £50,000 for his cause. You may contact him on his website: www.europeanruns.com.