Along with most other events – sporting or otherwise – organised races such as triathlons and marathons across the UK and wider world have been postponed or cancelled amid the coronavirus outbreak.

Norwich Evening News: Perry Mann, from Eaton, Norwich, is stuck on a ship in the Caribbean during this coronavirus lockdown. He will run 26.2 miles on the same day the London Marathon was due to take place, Sunday, April 26, to raise money for Norfolk cancer charity the Big C. Picture: Perry MannPerry Mann, from Eaton, Norwich, is stuck on a ship in the Caribbean during this coronavirus lockdown. He will run 26.2 miles on the same day the London Marathon was due to take place, Sunday, April 26, to raise money for Norfolk cancer charity the Big C. Picture: Perry Mann (Image: Archant)

Even with the current government restrictions around leaving your home, most people who have been training for months for these races are still able to run in the streets and parks in close proximity to their homes – provided they practise social distancing.

But for one Norwich man it’s not quite that simple – his current lockdown location is rather far away from his usual home in Eaton.

Instead of training in the park, Perry Mann is restricted to working out in the gym – on a ship somewhere in the Caribbean Sea.

He said: “I’m a ship’s navigator which means I spend about half of the year away from home at sea.

Norwich Evening News: Perry Mann, from Eaton, Norwich, is stuck on a ship in the Caribbean during this coronavirus lockdown. He will run 26.2 miles on the same day the London Marathon was due to take place, Sunday, April 26, to raise money for Norfolk cancer charity the Big C. Picture: Perry MannPerry Mann, from Eaton, Norwich, is stuck on a ship in the Caribbean during this coronavirus lockdown. He will run 26.2 miles on the same day the London Marathon was due to take place, Sunday, April 26, to raise money for Norfolk cancer charity the Big C. Picture: Perry Mann (Image: Archant)

“Because of the complications and restrictions surrounding the Covid-19 outbreak, I am currently unable to travel back from the ship I work on, which is in the Caribbean at the moment with no sign of being able to move or travel home any time soon.”

Mr Mann has been training for an Ironman race in Nice this summer, but the event has been postponed.

Not wanting to let his training go to waste – and to provide something to do while stuck on the ship so far from home – he chose to continue his training and has set himself a marathon target for this weekend.

Mr Mann will be running 26.2 miles on a treadmill this Sunday, April 26 – the same day the London Marathon was due to take place – in the hope of raising as much money as possible for Norfolk cancer charity the Big C.

He said: “I’m aware, even at such a distance from the UK, of the great support for the NHS and its workers back at home at this time. I wanted to support a cause that impacts on so many people at some stage in their lives, whether directly or indirectly, and one that would assist those NHS workers on the front line in tackling cancer.

“That we have such a charity like The Big C on our doorstep is fantastic and I wanted to support them through the current difficult situation.”

He hopes to complete the distance in three hours and 15 minutes, but doesn’t have a target monetary figure.

To donate to Perry’s fundraising effort, visit his JustGiving page.