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Cancer survivor tackles gruelling 100-mile run

Laura Watts A woman, Laura Watts, in a yellow vest, black shorts and yellow high socks running along a gravel track, towards the camera. She is wearing sunglasses, has tied back blonde hair and is wearing blue straps across her shoulders. Either side of the track is green hedgerow with white flowers. To the left of the image is a green field with large green trees in the background. The sky is blue with a few clouds.Laura Watts
Laura Watts has run in 184 marathons and shows no sign of stopping

A skin cancer survivor who has completed 184 marathons is now taking on a gruelling 100-mile challenge across Sussex and Surrey.

Laura Watts, from Bognor Regis, once ran 12 marathons in as many days and is the only British woman to have run the infamous Badwater Ultramarathon in California's Death Valley three times.

Now, the ultra-athlete is taking on the Centurion Running Winter Downs 100 - a 100-mile continuous trail run across the South Downs Way, which starts at Amberley Museum on Wednesday.

"The time limit is 35 hours," she told BBC Radio Sussex. "The fastest I've run a hundred miles is 21 hours and 40 minutes, but because of the conditions, I'm thinking probably 26 hours."

Laura Watts A woman, Laura Watts, is wearing a yellow vest and shorts and sunglasses. She has tied back blonde hair and is smiling at the camera. She is standing to the left of a white sign with grey frame with the digits 124F written above 51CLaura Watts
Laura pictured during one of the Badwater Ultramarathon races in Death Valley

"I'm glad Storm Darragh is out of the way," she said. "It's going to be about 7C, grey, and probably will rain.

In 2018, Laura was diagnosed with skin cancer. Since then, she has raised more than £50,000 for charity, including for the British Skin Foundation.

Laura Watts A woman, Laura Watts, has blonde hair that is tie back and her arms are outstretched. On each arm are six medals, all with different colour straps. She is wearing a Wonder Woman outfit of blue shorts and red and yellow top. She has on black sunglasses. She is standing in front of a white wall with a window in it. To her right is a green palm tree in a large black pot.Laura Watts
Ultra-athlete Laura has picked up a number of medals along the way

She said: "After I had my melanoma removed and lymph nodes, the doctor said, 'No running for while'.

"Three weeks later I ran three marathons in three weeks, so it was against the orders, but they know what I'm like."

Laura's husband, Matt, will meet her at the three aid points along the route.

"We normally have a bit of a buffet going in the back of the car," said Laura. "But I'll be on the move the whole time - no sleeping."

The race starts in Amberley and heads towards Winchester, joining the St Swithun's Way from Alton to Farnham, and finishes just after Box Hill in Surrey.

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