'Run Freddie, Run! - Lad smashes 100km endurance challenge
Freddie Dawson, 7, was cheered on by friends and family at Thorpe Recreation Ground as he completed his 100km running challenge for charity. - Credit: Natalie Dawson
Fantastic Freddie spent the dark, bitter November evenings clocking up the kilometres - a whopping 100 of them!
The Thorpe St Andrew youngster ran every, single day and finally completed his marathon charity challenge to run 100km in a month.
That's an incredible 62 miles - more than double the distance of a marathon.
Freddie Dawson, 7, at Thorpe Recreation Ground where he completed his 100km running challenge for charity. - Credit: Natalie Dawson
After he crossed the finish line, cheered on by his pals, mum Natalie Dawson spoke of her pride in the seven-year-old's efforts and how she had seen him grow over the course of the month.
He had aimed to raise £500 for Norfolk charities but has already had more than £2,000 in sponsorship.
Natalie said: “Freddie has run at least 3km every day in November, as well as attending his usual football, swimming and running clubs.
“The initiative is entirely Freddie’s idea. He chose each charity for personal reasons - Freddie’s auntie who is disabled has benefitted from the work of Community Sports Foundation, and a family friend survived cancer thanks to the Jenny Lind children’s unit at the Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital.
Freddie Dawson, 7, was cheered on by his supporters at Thorpe Recreation Ground as he completed his 100km running challenge for charity. - Credit: Natalie Dawson
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“He chose to do what he loves to help others.”
The mother-of-five accompanied Freddie, who attends Hillside Primary and Nursery School, on each run at Thorpe Recreation Ground and they were often joined by school friends and family who wanted to show their support.
At the finish line willing him on as he completed his final run were dad Matt and Freddie's four siblings, Millie, 13, Keira, 12, and his 19-month-old twin brothers, Osca and Marlie.
Finishing the challenge, Freddie said he felt “very happy” and “grateful”.
His mum added: “As a mum you would feel proud that your child would even think about wanting to do something like that, especially at seven-years-old.
"It was such a big commitment but he never said that he didn’t want to do it. He would say ‘come on, let's go’.
“It has been a pleasure to watch how he has grown over the last month, to see the determination on his face and the joy that he has gotten from doing this challenge. We are so grateful to everyone who has sponsored him.”
To donate to Freddie's Just Giving page click here.
