CHARITY worker Dr Mark Calder will begin 14 ultramarathons to retrace the steps of Celtic saints.
The 1700-mile feat begins on Sunday and will take the 36-year-old over ancient pilgrim routes in Scotland and Northern England.
Calder, who works for the Embrace The Middle East organisation, aims to raise thousands to help refugees who fled Daesh return to their homes through his Running Home 2019 challenge.
Spaced over eight months, it begins on Sunday, when the Aberdeen dad will go from Dunfermline Abbey in Fife to Glasgow Cathedral, where St Mungo is buried. The route includes Culross, the saint’s birthplace, and Falkirk.
Calder said: “There are similarities between pilgrimages and ultramarathons – they have these intense highs and lows.”
To donate, visit the page www.runninghome2019.co.uk.
Why are you making commenting on The National only available to subscribers?
We know there are thousands of National readers who want to debate, argue and go back and forth in the comments section of our stories. We’ve got the most informed readers in Scotland, asking each other the big questions about the future of our country.
Unfortunately, though, these important debates are being spoiled by a vocal minority of trolls who aren’t really interested in the issues, try to derail the conversations, register under fake names, and post vile abuse.
So that’s why we’ve decided to make the ability to comment only available to our paying subscribers. That way, all the trolls who post abuse on our website will have to pay if they want to join the debate – and risk a permanent ban from the account that they subscribe with.
The conversation will go back to what it should be about – people who care passionately about the issues, but disagree constructively on what we should do about them. Let’s get that debate started!
Callum Baird, Editor of The National
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here