On Monday, October 7th, 2024, Michael Humphreys will lace up his running shoes once again to conquer the streets of Monaco in what will be his fourth marathon in as many days.
The Monaco marathon is part of his ambitious goal to complete 30 marathons in 30 different countries in just 30 days, all in support of raising awareness for Motor Neurone Disease (MND), also known as ALS.
Starting his gruelling journey in Barcelona last Friday, the 33-year-old personal trainer from East Yorkshire, UK, has already completed marathons in Spain and Andorra. Today, he is tackling a marathon in France, before heading to the glamorous streets of Monaco tomorrow. With no support team, Humphreys is navigating this epic challenge solo—driving himself across Europe and sleeping in his van.
Humphreys’ inspiration comes from his friend Craig Eskrett, who was diagnosed with MND in 2023, as well as his late friend Carl Giblin, who lost his battle with the disease in 2013. Determined to shed light on the devastating condition that currently has no cure, Humphreys set himself this extraordinary challenge. “I wanted to come up with something outrageous enough to grab attention for MND because it’s an awful disease,” he said.
Despite limited training time, Humphreys remains determined to complete his mission, acknowledging the physical and logistical hurdles that lie ahead. “I’ll be crawling these marathons if I have to. There’s no stopping me,” he declared. His journey so far has already garnered media attention in the UK, including coverage by the BBC, Yorkshire Post, and Hull Live.
Humphreys invites supporters to follow his progress on his Instagram, @mikeyhumph, where he shares updates and videos from his journey. His final marathon is scheduled to take place in Hull on November 2nd, bringing his remarkable endeavour full circle.