Christian Hambly CO95

I ran the London Marathon 2023 for Mind because of the depression I suffered due to low B12.

After leaving Truro I went onto Liskeard College, doing A-Levels in Maths, Chemistry and Physics. From there I went to Swansea University on a scholarship studying Chemistry.

I’ve had a wild and varied careerprimarily based in IT but with a good smattering of customer service, sales, marketing and consultancy across many industries including pharmaceuticals, veterinary medicine and telecoms.

I’ve realised that I am a polymath and unfortunately this doesn’t fit into many traditional corporate roles. So I had a complete re-evaluation of work and ended up working at Apple.

After six years of a whirlwind career with Apple, culminating in being a Trainer as well as Product Expert, I left to set up two businesses.

For the now-closed Great British Web Company I was technical director. My business partner and I had lots of fun, learnt loads and built a solid client base but our hearts were never truly built for websites.

We parted ways professionally (but remain great friends) and I set up as FreelanceGeek Ltd (www.FreelanceGeek. co.uk): me, being a polymath, specialising in working with SMEs helping them with anything IT as well as healthy discussions about life, the universe and everything.

I’ve left Cornwall having bounced around most of Southern England with different jobs/roles and find myself now in Milton Keynes.

It was completely by accident that I find myself in the city of concrete cows and roundabouts but it has a hidden secret: lots of green space.

I live with my partner of 14 years, Alexe, and our dog, Lizzie (the greyhound), five minutes walk from the Grand Union

Canal, three lakes and a huge parkland. Lots of walks, cycles and, of course, running.

As I approached 40, I found that I was personally in a bad place. I had an unhealthy relationship with alcohol, an OK diet and I walked a bit. I was in a dark space and felt I needed to do something about it.

Side note: I’ve never been sporty - anyone from TS will attest to that. I was the least sporty person you will ever meet. And I certainly was never going to run; everyone was getting into the trendy park runs and that was not for me.

So in my head I decided to run. I announced this to Alexe, who promptly fell off the sofa.

I don’t ever do things by half: “go big or go home”.

I’d met a lovely lady called Sheila whilst out walking the dogs one sunny summer’s day. She and I got talking because of our footwear. I’d started to explore “barefoot walking” to help with my bad back.

Turns out Sheila is a running coach and accomplished ultra runner - all whilst barefoot. Needless to say we got on. So I tracked her down and, from Day 0, had a coach to help me on my running journey. I tried shoes... once. It wasn’t for me.

So after Couch to 5k and loving it I trained for 10km then a half-marathon. Might as well train for a marathon, right?

Three months later I completed my first marathon (26.2 miles or 42km) in 2018.

Why not try running a 40-miler in my 40th year? I’d caught the bug.

So for my 40th birthday I ran the Brecon Beacons ultra. 46 miles, in Brecon Beacons, in November... in sandals. It was “fun”, hard and beautiful.

What else?

12 marathons in 12 months from my first marathon

Green Man Ultra (Bristol), Barefoot Champion

Country to Capital, 46-miler, Wendover to Little Venice

Winder Poppyline, Norfolk coast 50-miler

25 marathon-or-beyond distances completed

How far can I run?

8th June 2019 - South Down Way 100-miler, running from Winchester to Eastbourne in one go. No sleep, no stopping, no shoes. 26hrs 52 minutes later and I’ve completed “couch to

100-miler” in under 100 weeks training. One of the proudest days of my life with the best support team and friends along for the ride.

2022 was a game of two halves for me. I completed another challenge run: 1,000 miles in 100 days. I was knackered!!

I then had six months of crazy depression and had no idea why. Turns out I have a B12 deficiency - amazing what issues it can cause.

So this year I ran the London Marathon 2023 whilst raising money for Mind in fancy dress. if you want to know more: https://run.christianhambly.co.uk