Comedian Eddie Izzard trades in microphone for running shoes
British comedian and actor Eddie Izzard, 54, is in South Africa running 27 marathons in 27 days for charity.
Comedian Eddie Izzard completed the first of his 27 marathons today running in the heat of South Africa
Marathon one DONE by the astonishing @eddieizzard #MarathonMan pic.twitter.com/hQcVoRMI8N
— Sport Relief (@sportrelief) February 23, 2016
British comedian Eddie Izzard is trading in his microphone for a pair of running shoes and embarking on a long-distance journey in South Africa. The 54-year-old is doing 27 marathons in 27 days in support of Sport Relief, a biennial charity event in support of vulnerable people in the world’s poorest countries.
On Wednesday, he completed the first of his 27 marathons posting footage of his progress on Twitter. He began his journey in Mbhashe, a small community located in the Eastern Cape, a province of South Africa.
Footage of Izzard during today’s run can be found below:
Putting in a real spurt with the finish in sight. #MarathonMan pic.twitter.com/qkCxGFlH1z
— Sport Relief (@sportrelief) February 23, 2016
Izzard attempted a stretch of double-digit marathons in South Africa in 2012 but was forced to withdraw due to health reasons, according to BBC News.
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In 2009, Izzard completed 43 marathons in 51 days after putting in just five weeks of training for the journey.
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Izzard is considered one of the most popular British comedians and has made appearances in Ocean’s Twelve, Ocean’s Thirteen, Across the Universe, and takes inspiration from John Cleese and Monty Python. He’s well-known for his cross-dressing comedy routines, according to IMDb.
Just started running in South Africa. Trying to run 27 marathons in 27 days for @sportrelief pic.twitter.com/m6RoybA72t
— Eddie Izzard (@eddieizzard) February 23, 2016
The 54-year-old is active on Twitter and is expected to post daily updates of his South African adventure. Temperatures in South Africa in February and March hover between 25 to 30 C. On day one, the comedian and actor battled blisters.
16 miles done and a little work on the feet needed #MarathonMan pic.twitter.com/UasQVZXKa4
— Sport Relief (@sportrelief) February 23, 2016
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