Runner ‘will be back’ after injury setback
Twyford: Plans to run 52nd marathon halted by car accident
A Twyford man has had to put plans on hold for the grand finale of his 52-week marathon fundraiser after he sustained an injury in a car accident.
Justin Malin was due to run his 52nd consecutive weekly marathon on Saturday, but an injury to his sternum on Thursday, September 22 from the impact of the car crash meant he was medically unfit to run.
Crowds of supporters were due to meet him at Stanlake Meadow on Saturday morning to run the last mile of his final 26.2 around the field with members of his daughter’s football team, the Twyford Comets.
Justin had been running all year in a bid to reach 52 marathons in 52 weeks, raising
funds for a charity close to his heart, Make-A-Wish, the organisation that grants special days out and experiences to critically ill children.
Instead, the former Ironman is taking a break until he is declared fit for running.
“I’m absolutely gutted,” he said. “But I won’t give up. I shall be back out there running just as soon as I can.”
His daughter, Eva Malin, who works at the charity, says that Justin is still her hero and his Make-A-Wish cape, given to major fundraisers as a thankyou, is hanging up, waiting until he is well again.
“I think what he has done so far is amazing, crazy, but amazing, and we’re all so proud of him,” she said.
“To get this far is brilliant and he deserves his ‘wish hero’ t-shirt and cape for what he has already achieved.”
Eva said that the average cost of a wish is £2,500 so dad Justin has raised enough to grant two, almost three, special wishes for children who the charity helps and that she hopes his last run, whenever that is, will give his fundraising efforts a final boost to enable three full wishes to be given.
“The wishes can make such a huge difference to a child’s life. Previous ‘wish children’ have said that their wishes were ‘such a light in the darkness’
for them,” she said.
“We don’t rely on any government funding, it’s donations, and we’re not as big as people think we are. Make-AWish America is very big but Make-A-Wish UK, we’re actually a small office in Reading. We try and reach every eligible child, that’s our main goal.”
In a statement Stephanie Witt, director of income and engagement at Make-A-Wish UK, said: “Justin is a true
#WishHero and his 52 Marathons in 52 Weeks challenge is an incredible achievement that has raised enough money to grant the wishes of three critically ill children. Everyone at Make-A-Wish UK wishes
Justin and family a speedy recovery and we look forward to seeing Justin back out running in his superhero cape soon.”
Visit justgiving.com/ fundraising/justin-malin to view the fundraiser.