A Manx runner is preparing to take on an extraordinary test of endurance this December, committing to run 31 marathons in 31 days in memory of a close friend.

Albert Johnson hopes the challenge will raise £5,000 for Autism Initiatives, honouring his friend Graham Brew, who took his own life in 2022.

Although the challenge does not begin until December 1, Albert has already raised more than £700 through his JustGiving page.

He said he has wanted for some time to find a way to commemorate Graham, who was widely known and warmly regarded within the Manx community.

The charity, he added, was an obvious choice.

‘Graham was autistic so I felt it would be the charity of his choosing if he was asked the question.’

Johnson, 32, from Kirk Michael, first turned to running during the 2020 Covid lockdown and began taking the sport more seriously in 2021.

His inspiration for attempting a month-long sequence of marathons came from fellow Manx endurance runner Christian Varley, who completed 19 marathons in 19 days and raised more than £83,000 for the Manx Solidarity Fund during the pandemic.

In preparation, Albert plans to complete ‘a few steady runs’ and take a couple of rest days before he starts the challenge.

Throughout December, he intends to stick mainly to routes around the Kirk Michael area, allowing him to remain close to home while managing the cumulative strain of daily long-distance runs.

Despite the enormity of what lies ahead, Albert is optimistic: ‘I’ll take it all in my stride, last year I ran 4,200 miles/420,000 ft climbing (which is the height of Mount Everest 14.5 times) so I’d say my body has adapted.’

Each marathon is expected to take between 3.5 and 4.5 hours to complete.

Anyone wishing to donate can do so via his online fundraising page: https://www.justgiving.com/page/albertjohnson31daymarathonchallenge