Cartland man's hospice mission

And he did just that, running non-stop for 33 miles to raise £3,500 in sponsorship for the St Margaret of Scotland Hospice in Clydebank.

The 39-year-old ran the Glen Ogle Ultra Marathon earlier this month after training for five to six days per week throughout the year and sticking to a rigid nutrition program, which denied him treats and alcohol for the bulk of that time.

Paul decided to raise funds for the hospice in memory of his grandad James Rooney and said of the six-hour run: ”I know it sounds a bit cheesy but I was thinking of all the hard work the staff at the hospice do every day and my six hours paled into insignificance.

“I was confident in my training – all the Friday night hill sprints and early morning rises worked their magic. It went surprisingly well. The wind and rain added an extra dimension. The hardest part was supposed to be the easiest part – the last 6km downhill – but my legs were sore by then.”

The pain he endured in the closing stages hasn’t discouraged Paul, who owns industrial clothing company Workwear and PPE Supplies, from taking on similar challenges soon. “The best thing about the event was pushing myself beyond what I thought was physically possible.

“I’ve injured ligaments in my foot and picked up a bad cold since the event, which is expected considering how hard I pushed my body.”