'I like to think that me running is saving someone's life'

As the clock struck midnight on New Year's Day 2024, Andy Hobson laced up his running shoes and took to the streets of Bradford to complete a marathon.

After struggling with his mental health, Andy took time off from his career in the emergency services and turned to exercise in order to help lift himself from his "low point".

Beginning his 12 in 12 marathon challenge, the 33-year-old from Leeds aimed to run one marathon each month for the year.

The BBC caught up with him ahead of the final run.

"It was probably a daft idea in hindsight," admits Andy, while sitting in Roundhay Park.

The 700 acres of parkland in north Leeds has provided a regular training site ahead of his monthly marathons.

Recalling the first marathon of the challenge, he says: "There were little elements within the run which were wholesome and nice.

"People enjoying the night-time economy would shout 'Happy New Year' - it got me through the difficult parts."

Andy completed his first marathon of the year in 4 hours and 25 minutes, but he hasn't been bothered about setting record times.

"My times will be SLOW, but a 5/6 hour marathon is still the same distance as a 3 hour marathon," he told supporters online.

Andy is raising money for the Campaign Against Living Miserably (CALM), a suicide prevention charity.

The charity says 18 people die by suicide in the UK a day.

Determined to make a difference, Andy set himself a target of £12,012 - a total he describes as "absolutely ridiculous".

"My negative mindset would like to tell me it is impossible," he writes, but he decided to set a high target as "life is simply too short".

Funds will help CALM answer "life-saving" crisis calls or chats on its support services, Andy says.

"I understand now the importance of having that conversation - a problem shared is a problem halved in my view."

Andy attributes his own struggles with his mental health to a combination of work challenges after handling a number of "tough jobs" and "being heavily overweight".

"It was almost that I did not love myself," he says.

"When you are in that much of a dark place, you just see your own problems.

"Everything is amplified to the point where you just think, what is the point?"

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Andy's challenge will see him running a total of 4,000km in 2024.

Routes have so far taken him across the north of England, with runs taking place in cities including Bradford, Blackpool, Liverpool and Leeds.

A few stages of his challenge have also been set in sunnier climes such as Barcelona and Cabo Roig in Spain.

He says "no medals or crowds" have been involved in the challenge, with no legs involving organised marathon events.

"Just me taking to the roads, paths and streets where I found tranquillity and peace at a time my mind was chaotic," he says.

Andy says he's finishing the year in a much better mindset and has returned to work.

This week, he attended the Leeds Compassionate City Awards to receive a "highly commended" title for his fundraising efforts.

He concludes: "Every time I go out I like to think, in my head, that me running is saving someone's life."

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