A Hove Promenade Parkrun ambassador raised more than £1,300 in donations this weekend by completing the run in a wheelchair.
Mark Brocklehurst, 47, of The Drive, Hove, an able-bodied man, used a wheelchair at the run on Saturday, April 13, to raise awareness around disabilities.
He completed it in just over one hour and 40 minutes – his usual time is 25 minutes.
Mr Brocklehurst said after the run: “Having done this and seeing anybody who’s done it in a chair is an inspiration to me, not because they’re in a chair but how bloody tough it is.”
When deciding to raise money for Scope, the disability and equality charity, Mark said he felt he wanted to use the wheelchair to understand the challenges people face.
Mr Brocklehurst said: “It’s a lot more difficult than you’d ever imagine.
“It just shows you that there’s lots of barriers, lots of issues that people in chairs have to face and if you’re an able-bodied person you don’t see it and take it for granted.
“When I walk I can cross the road whenever I want to. In a chair I’m looking for a ramp.”
Lizzie Williams, 23, of Heene Road in Worthing is a friend of Mr Brocklehurst and uses a wheelchair.
She helped him get to grips with it and accompanied him on his run.
Miss Williams said: “The whole topic about disability is like an out-of-sight out-of-mind conversation.
“It’s important to have guys like Mark who are willing to put themselves out there and just get a taste of what living life with a disability is like.”
Friend Clare Ryan, 46, of Russell Mews, Brighton, said: “It looked like hard work, he had a lot of support out and a big smile on his face.
“Good on him for his amazing achievement, he’s opened up a big conversation about accessibility. I’m so proud of him what a trooper, what a champion.”
More information about Scope or parkrun can be found on their websites: www.scope.org.uk and www.parkrun.org.uk
