Running for a Cause!

An Interview with Jamie on taking on the Brighton Backyard Ultra Marathon for My Sisters' House

We caught up with Jamie, one of three amazing local guys who recently took on the Brighton Backyard Ultra Marathon – a truly gruelling challenge – all to raise money for My Sisters’ House Women’s Centre. Here's what he had to say about the day, the prep, and why they chose to support us.

Hi Jamie – first off, we are thrilled that you decided to do a challenge event and raise money for My Sisters' House. Can you tell me a bit about yourselves?

“We’re three local guys who grew up in the local area and two of us still live locally in Felpham and Eastergate.”

Jamie, along with friends Jordan and Myles, decided to take on the Brighton Backyard Ultra Marathon – not only a serious test of endurance, but also a brilliant way to raise awareness and funds for our work supporting women in the Arun and Chichester Districts.

So, what exactly is an Ultra-Marathon? It sounds intense!

“The event consists of a 4.1 mile lap on the hour every hour until one person remains.”

Yep, you read that right – 4.1 miles. Every hour. On the hour. For as long as your body (and mind) will let you. The event started on Saturday 10th May and continued through the day, into the night, and for some… well into the next day, until there is one person left.

“The event was great, it was a sunny day which was great for spectators but not so fun when climbing/running hills! It was all well run, thought out and felt like a great running community with everyone cheering each other on trying to push each other further. It was always nice chatting and meeting new people on each lap.”

And why did you select us as your charity of choice?

“The reason we chose My Sisters House was that we were looking to support a local charity making a big difference. When asking around your charity was recommended and we wanted to support. Through friends, work and people we know, we’ve heard stories that are heartbreaking and eye-opening. Domestic abuse is far more common than you might think, and it often goes unseen.”

We’re incredibly grateful for the support – and touched to hear how our work has resonated with people in your network.

So… how did you all do on the day?

“Jordan came 4th and managed to go for 24 loops which meant 24 hours running, completing 100 miles! The course itself was hilly, meaning he climbed over 11,500ft elevation too!”

An incredible achievement – 100 miles and over 11,500ft of elevation is no small feat. And Jamie wasn’t far behind:

“I came 15th and dropped out around 4am on Sunday with 16 laps, completing 67.5 miles – a bit gutted I couldn’t do more but still happy.”

“Myles ran enough laps to complete his first ever marathon”.

Honestly, we’re just blown away by that dedication and strength – whether it’s 26.2 miles or 100, the commitment is awe-inspiring.

What kind of preparation did you do for this amazing challenge?

“Jordan and I have young children and Myles travels a lot for work so that was our sleep deprivation training.”

“Running wise we got into Ultra Marathons again last year and we’ve been training for the Brighton Backyard since January 2025, often meeting up to run along the local Southdowns trails in Slindon/Arundel – you might often see us running along the Bognor seafront too!”

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Jamie and the team have raised an incredible amount of awareness and vital funds for My Sisters’ House – and we honestly couldn’t be more grateful.

If you're feeling inspired to take on your own challenge event for us (don’t worry – it doesn’t have to be 100 miles!), we’d love to hear from you.

To Jamie, Jordan and Myles – thank you. You’ve run further than most of us could ever imagine… and made a real difference along the way.

Feeling Inspired? Fancy organising your own Challenge event?

Check out the My Sisters’ House fundraising pages to get inspired for your Challenge Event!