Ex-Lurgan man Gerard Martin completes 12 ultra marathons in 12 days across the Camino de Santiago for Foyle Hospice and Southern Area Hospice

Gerard Martin, who is originally from Lurgan and is now living in Derry / Londonderry, undertook the mammoth endurance event in memory of his good friend, the late Fr Martin McAlinden and to also raise money for the Foyle Hospice and the Southern Area Hospice.

Speaking after returning home, Gerard, who has completed a number of endurance events in the past, said that, despite soaring temperatures and injury, he was ‘determined’ to complete the challenge.

Each daily marathon was between 40 to 45 miles each, and traversed the 500 miles of the historic Camino de Santiago in Spain.

"I finished running last Wednesday. It was absolutely one of the hardest things ever, but I was super, super determined to get it done.

"The morning running was nice, but once I got into the afternoon it was bad. The heat was soaring into the 30s and everybody walking the Camino was probably looking at me, thinking: ‘What is this guy doing?!

"The injuries started to take its toll on my legs and there were blisters, tendonitis, pulled muscles – the whole lot. But no matter what injury, at no point did I think: ‘I’m not doing it.’

Gerard told how he thought on his good friend, Fr McAlinden and the work of the hospices as inspiration and said he was bolstered by the support of his parents, who surprised him on the last kilometre.

Fr McAlinden, who passed away from cancer, was the person who introduced Gerard to the Camino de Santiago in 2011 and ‘positively impacted countless lives’.

Gerard has now completed the Camino ‘several times’ and decided to do so once again in a self-supported ‘epic journey of endurance and remembrance’.

It is a very special place for Gerard, who has also introduced his parents to it and they, too, have now completed it numerous times.

“The charities were a big thing and I was in touch with Fr McAlinden’s family as well, so it was nice to complete it for all those reasons. I also got so much support. There’s a Facebook page in Lurgan, which has 15,000 followers and it was following me the entire time, with so much support.

"I was also getting lots of support from my running group here in Derry, Foyle Valley, as well as my own family.

"My parents surprised me, which was really nice. I was about 1km from the finish line and they were sitting in a cafe as I ran past. They just said: ‘Well, hello there.’ It was tempting to walk back in with them the last kilometre, but I wanted to finish strong, so I ran on ahead and they met me in the Square.”

Gerard has raised over £3,000, which he is delighted about and anyone who still wishes to donate can do so at www.justgiving.com/runningthecamino