Fulwood man runs full length of Thailand in 50 days to fundraise for local orphanages

Chris Russell completes his running challenge. Pic: @sawangphong_lee

A man from Preston has completed his challenge of running the full length of Thailand in 50 days.

Chris Russell, 33, who lives in Fulwood, ran 2,121km from Mae Sai to Betong, beginning his journey on 10 January and finishing on 28 February.

He decided to fundraise for local schools and orphanages in Thailand and has already beat his goal of raising £5,000.

Chris running against the scenic views. Pic: @sawangphong_lee

Chris now has aspirations to hit a new target of raising £10,000 before the fundraiser closes, to help the less fortunate in the country.

He said: “My Grandad taught me the importance of adventure and spending time outdoors, this was certainly an adventure.

“The scenery and roads were stunning over the last few days running towards Betong.”

Chris documented his experience in the country on his social media pages. He has been given free Thai food by a local restaurant owner, offered lifts on motorbikes, passed a military checkpoint and even been chased by unfriendly dogs.

He added: “The Thai people I have met along the way have really made this run special, showing genuine kindness and support.

“I really appreciate every donation back in England and over here in Thailand. It is incredible that it has gone way over the £5,000 target and the money will help out a lot”

Chris passed a military checkpoint in the far South of Thailand. Pic: @sawangphong_lee

The money will go towards schools and orphanages in the northeast of Thailand, supporting children with mental disabilities such as autism, which Chris visited before beginning.

You can donate to the GoFundMe page here.

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