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January 14, 2008

Editor runs 700 miles for autism

By James Ball

Swindon Advertiser editor Dave King spent much of his 2007 running 80 races around the British Isles for a charity challenge.

King, 44, ran more than 700 miles in races across the country, including the London Marathon and Great North Run.

He said: ‘It’s been a voyage of discovery, running in some breathtaking places and also meeting some wonderful people.”

His adventure has taken him from the Channel Islands to Cape Wrath in north-west Scotland via Ireland, Wales and the Isle of Man.

In total, King travelled 22,000 miles completing his challenge to raise money and awareness for autism. His 10-year-old son, Ross, who also ran several of the races, suffers from the condition. The duo raised more than £15,000 for the Hampshire Autistic Society.

King’s only first-place finish came in a 10km race at Haslar asylum detention centre in Gosport. His 46-minute victory was marred somewhat when he was told the ‘three fastest detainees’had been released a week earlier.

During the challenge, King ran dressed as a banana, Scooby Doo and as one of 6,000 Santas aiming to break a world record in Liverpool.

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King is writing a book of his experiences, titled Around the British Isles in 80 Races, which is due to be released in September.

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