Double-leg amputee Richard Whitehead halfway through Terry Fox-inspired trek

Double-leg amputee Richard Whitehead is almost halfway through his challenge to run 40 marathons in 40 days, a year after winning the gold medal in the Paralympic 200m.

The U.K. athlete, who defended his world championships 200m title in August, is running from the town of John O’Groats to Land’s End.

Whitehead is hoping raise about $1.6 million for the cancer charities Sarcoma U.K. and Scope, through donations and sponsorships. He’s running In memory of a friend who died of cancer in 2005, and also as a tribute to Terry Fox.

Whitehead told the Belfast Telegraph he’s had “some real tough days,” but is motivated by the fact he’s doing the run “for lots of people that are less fortunate than myself.”

He says he’s had some tough days of hills. “I had one a couple of days ago towards Kendal, and about a week before in Glen Coe where we were climbing some big hills, so that was really tough … Sometimes I wake up in the morning and I don’t want to go out and run, and I just push myself through those bad days. I’ve had friends who have died from cancer and knowing that they would want me to push on is a big help.”

Despite being a Paralympic sprint champion, Whitehead says he’s a natural at the marathon, but it’s still a tough grind running a string of marathons in a row as a double amputee. “It’s been really tough,” he says. “Obviously, 19 or 20 days of continued exercise puts a massive strain on the body – mentally as well as physically.”