Two Stoke-on-Trent runners are preparing to run 10 marathons in 10 days, to raise money for charity.

Sam Matthews and Simon Fawcett are hoping to take on the Brathay 10 in 10 challenge in May next year.

The challenge is organised by the Brathay Trust, which delivers residential programmes to young people from across the UK at their Lake District centre, as well as working in community settings in Bradford and Cumbria.

The participants must run a 26.2-mile lap of Lake Windermere every day for 10 consecutive days.

For Sam, 39, this will be his second time undertaking the challenge, which he completed for the first time in 2024.

He will also mark a personal milestone, by running his 50th marathon during the event.

Speaking about the challenge, Sam said: "It's indescribable, really.

"There are some days when you feel fine, and you just get your head down and get on with it. Then there are other days when you hit that wall and you just think, 'I can't do it, I can't go on'."

However, the community diabetes nurse said that completing the final marathon as a group on the 10th day is "incredible".

Sam said: " There's just amazing camaraderie amongst all the group."

"It's just incredible, the bonds that you build with people, and they will last a lifetime," he added.

The runner also explained that supporting the charity helps to motivate him through the challenge and his training regime – which includes spinning, swimming and resistance training as well as running.

He has set himself a £5,000 target after raising just over this amount in 2024.

He said: "It's such a special event because you're doing something for yourself - you're challenging your body every day - but you are also raising this money for charity, for the Brathay Trust."

"Every time I go out, I think about Brathay and the people that it supports. It's all for a bigger picture," he added.

Simon, 45, also expressed his passion for supporting the work of the Brathay Trust as he prepares to take on his third 10 in 10 challenge.

The teacher recounted his own experience as a primary school pupil going on a week-long trip to Standon Bowers.

He said: "Having that week away in the countryside really inspired me, even at such a young age.

"I gravitated toward the countryside pretty much straight after that."

Simon added: "When I see the children at Brathay, I can't help but think about my own experience.

"And despite the fact Standon Bowers and the Lake District are, in so many ways, worlds apart, the principle is still the same.

"So being able to raise money for that cause is something that is special to me, and of course to Sam and the others."

Simon previously completed the challenge in 2022 and 2024, deciding to take on the first challenge after running only three official marathons.

He explained: "When I applied to do the 10 in 10, I had only done three official marathons. One of them being Windemere, which was a challenge in itself.

"But I just thought to myself, 'you ought to give it a go'."

He also said that other people who might be interested in taking on marathons and challenges with limited experience "can definitely build up to it".

Describing the experience as "something of a trilogy for me", he was hoping to complete his third Brathay 10 in 10 challenge this year. But this has had to be pushed to 2027 due to an injury.

Although he is still recovering, Simon says he is "confident" he will be ready to take on the challenge in May.

Simon has also written two books about the running the Brathay 10 in 10 and is hoping to complete his third book along with the third challenge.

Running Home: 10 Windemere Marathons in 10 Days and Everything in Between, is stocked in some Lake District bookshops and is available on Amazon.

To donate, visit Sam's JustGiving page here or Simon's JustGiving page here.

To find out more about the Brathay Trust and the 10 in 10 challenge, visit the website here.

To find Simon's book on Amazon, follow the link here.