Young Boy Completes 300-Mile Coastal Run for Charity

A determined 10-year-old boy has completed a run along the full length of the Cornish coast path, undertaking the feat to generate funds for charity. Freddie Storey, who resides in Pitney, close to Somerton in Somerset, finished the 300-mile (482km) endeavor, stretching from Plymouth, South Devon, to Bude, Cornwall, with his father by his side. His journey commenced in May 2023, with the path being covered in segments – sometimes reaching 18 miles (30km) daily – and he reached the conclusion last month. “The hardest bit was going up and down on the blazing hot days, and when it’s really wet and you’re going downhill, then you’re slipping, basically,” he stated. “I feel very good about it and I’m very proud of myself. I’m also sad that it’s over as well.” James Storey, Freddie’s father, mentioned that Freddie frequently needed to sleep in their car’s rear compartment to manage some of the more extended days – on a particular instance, they traversed 33 miles (53km) across two successive days. “We do run it all, there is no walking. If you absolutely have to on some gruesome steep bits, then you’ve got to at least bounce up them,” he commented. He further remarked, “I would say the worst bit has been between St Ives and Zennor; the really muddy, rainy days where you are literally sliding at times, two, three, four metres down on your bottom.” He concluded, “He hasn’t whinged once; he just gets on with it and that’s what I’ve been most proud of.” Freddie also undertook another demanding feat, ascending North Africa’s tallest mountain – an endeavor comparable to scaling Scafell Pike, England’s highest peak, on four separate occasions – enduring zero-degree temperatures while sleeping in a tent. Mr Storey remarked, “He has such a big heart and loves these challenges.” He added, “He’s been an absolute legend throughout.” To date, Freddie, accompanied by his eight-year-old brother, Max, during the mountain expedition, has accumulated half of his £5,000 fundraising goal for the Cornwall Wildlife Trust. Freddie currently intends to run both the Dorset and Somerset coast paths within the forthcoming 12 months – an aggregate distance of 660 miles (1062km). Additionally, in the spring of 2025, he is scheduled to cycle 140 miles (2253km) across three days, traveling from Bodmin, Cornwall, to Sparkford, Somerset, with the aim of collecting donations for the Motor Neurone Disease (MND) Association. For updates, follow BBC Somerset on Facebook and X. Story suggestions can be submitted via email or WhatsApp at 0800 313 4630. Copyright 2024 BBC. All rights reserved. The BBC bears no responsibility for material found on external websites. Information regarding our external linking policy is available.