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Real Life Forrest Gump Matthew Melling Completes 5K Run For 963rd Consecutive Day

Real Life Forrest Gump Matthew Melling Completes 5K Run For 963rd Consecutive Day

The Wigan LAD started running for a bet, now it's his life

Tom Wood

Tom Wood

A runner dubbed the 'Real Life Forrest Gump', who started running five kilometres every day as part of a bet, has just completed at least that distance for the 963rd day on the trot.

Back in January 2017, Matthew Melling started himself on a challenge to complete 5K per day for an entire month. The initial plan was to lose a bit of weight - he weighed 18 stones - but after he breezed through the first month, his friends bet him he couldn't do 50.

Spoiler alert - he could.

Now, 963 days (2.63 years, if you're interested) later, he's survived being 'attacked with eggs' in his native Wigan, has lost three stones, quit his job, travelled 20 countries raising £20,000 for charity, and he is still jogging onwards.

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After he was pelted with eggs in Wigan, his case came to the attention of local media and he started up the Facebook page 'The Wigan Runner'.

He now runs the world raising money for various different charities, while always making sure that he meets his 5K-per-day minimum.

Speaking to Metro, Matthew said: "It just started off as a health kick. I didn't really have a plan, I just wanted to see if I could run every day for a month.

"I didn't run a lot back then, I was much bigger and I struggled to motivate myself.

"After I raised money it made me think I should keep running and do something good for the community. I never imagined it would change my life the way it has.

"I have not took one day off since 5 January 2017 and last summer I decided to quit my job so I could do it full time."

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Not. One. Day.

That means that every Christmas Day, birthday, and holiday he sets off to run five kilometres. Raising money for charity is what keeps him going now that he's quit his job.

Well, he's also been sponsored by Nike, too.

Earlier this year he pushed his great uncle Harry - a World War Two veteran - across the line at the Wigan half marathon to raise money for armed forces veterans.

Now, he's raising money to take the dodgeball team he coaches to a world cup in Cairo, Egypt.

He continued: "If we got there it would be fantastic. It would be life changing for the team and it would put Wigan on the map.

"I love my town. I have lived here all my life and would do anything to make it better."

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Here's Matthew's advice: "The message I like to get out there is that if I can do this, anyone can.

"If anyone thinks they can't run, they are wrong - they just need to have self-belief. If it was not hard, it would not be exhilarating.

"It doesn't matter how far you go or how fast you go. You feel elated afterwards. I look forward to running every day.

"Eventually I will stop running, but I don't know when yet. It's unimaginable for me at the moment.

"I have to stay focused. I haven't got long to go before I reach 1,000. When I feel like stopping I remind myself of how many days I have come.

"When my streak ends I want to train for marathons so I can do one on every continent."

Featured Image Credit: Paramount Picture/Facebook

Topics: SPORT, UK News, Daily Ladness, Inspirational