Ho-ho- how far?

Lisa Pattenden, 34, from Manchester, knew her man liked Xmas jumpers ...but this was extreme!

Seeing my boyfriend Gareth’s Santa jumper, I cracked up.

‘But It’s only 1 December!’ I teased.

‘I always wear Christmas jumpers throughout December,’ he said proudly. ‘I have eight in my collection.’

Eight?!

This was 2014, and it would be our first Christmas together, after meeting that May.

Gareth, 29, had another passion – marathons. He loved pulling on his trainers and running 26 miles.

After a year together, he proposed to me. So exciting!

Then, two months after our wedding in May 2016, we had the best news.

‘I’m pregnant!’ I squealed excitedly.

At the 20-week scan, in September 2016, we discovered we were having a girl.

‘I can’t wait to be a dad, but I fancy a challenge before all the night feeds and nappy changes start,’ Gareth grinned one night.

He wanted to fundraise for children’s charity When You Wish Upon A Star. But how?

‘Why not run a sponsored marathon?’ I suggested.

‘Even better, why don’t

I run five marathons in December?!’ he exclaimed.

He wanted to run a marathon on every Saturday that month – crazy!

‘I could run them wearing my Christmas jumpers,’ he laughed, warming to the idea.

‘Won’t you get too hot?’ I giggled – but Gareth assured

me he’d keep hydrated, so that he didn’t overheat. He started training hard, and planned the routes for each marathon distance. ‘Here’s an early Christmas present,’ I said, handing him a new festive jumper on Saturday 3 December 2016. It had a reindeer with a huge red nose. ‘Thanks,’ he smiled, slipping it on over his running gear. ‘Good luck!’ I called, as he dashed off from our house in Mossley, Manchester. My hero. But not in a cape – in naff knitwear!

The weather was mild for December. By the time I saw him at the finish in Prestwich, Manchester, 26 miles away, he was as red as Rudolph’s nose. ‘I’m sweating in a sweater,’ he joked, swigging his water. Thankfully, his other marathons were on were freezing days! So, on 10 December, he ran 26 miles around Sale Water Park.

Then, on 17 December, it was 26 miles in an ugly black jumper and, on Christmas Eve, he ran yet another marathon.

I cheered him on, of course, and mates ran with him part of the way.

On Christmas Day, Gareth had a well-deserved rest. We wore his-and-hers jumpers.

Racing off for his final marathon run on New Year’s Eve, you’d never have thought he’d run 104 miles that month!

When he reached the finishing point in Sale, Greater Manchester, four hours later, I handed him a mini bottle of champagne.

‘You did it!’ I whooped. He’d raised £2,000.

On 10 January 2017, our daughter Summer arrived, three weeks early.

Now 23 months, Summer loves watching Gareth run. ‘Go, Dada!’ she shouts. We’re so proud of our speedy superstar. But, this Christmas, I hope he puts his feet up by the tree, rather than attempting anything energetic!