British runner finishes local marathon, then walks to France for another

What does one do after running a marathon personal best? For one British runner, Matt Clayton, the answer was simple: walk to another country and run an even faster one.

Clayton, from Rustington, U.K., ran a personal best of 3:51:29 at the Brighton Marathon on April 6. But instead of kicking back to put his feet up afterward, he packed his bags and began walking to the next start line. Clayton walked 191 kilometres over four days from Brighton’s finish line to the start line of Sunday’s Schneider Electric Marathon de Paris in France.

After averaging nine hours on his feet each day, Clayton arrived in Paris on the night of April 10, giving himself just two days of rest before racing again on April 13. Despite the intense lead-up, he said once he started, he somehow found another gear—running 3:40:42 in the French capital, shaving 11 minutes off his Brighton time from a week ago.

“I felt incredible stamina-wise,” Clayton told BBC Radio Sussex. “Before the Paris Marathon, my calf was really stiff, but as soon as I got started, it seemed to free up.”

Since the U.K. and France aren’t connected by land, he crossed the English Channel via ferry from Newhaven to Dieppe.

In total, Clayton covered 275 kilometres (170 miles) in seven days, including both marathons. He took on the challenge to raise money for the Wynn Trust Foundation, a charity supporting former boxers who’ve suffered brain injuries. He hit his goal, raising more than £3,200 (approximately C$6,000).

After the second marathon, Clayton decided to skip the long walk home—and took a flight back to the U.K. instead.