Devoted dad to take on marathon challenge whilst pushing son in wheelchair
A devoted dad is preparing to take on the 'hardest challenge of his life' - running a marathon whilst pushing his disabled son in a wheelchair.
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Jimmy Daly, 60, from Market Drayton, will be taking on the Manchester Marathon on April 14, but he won't be running solo. For the entire 26.2 miles, he'll be pushing his son Rian, 20, in a specially-made wheelchair.
While it's not Jimmy's first marathon, it will be the first one where he'll pushing his son.
Training every Sunday, Jimmy adds two miles onto his distance with the wheelchair, sometimes with Rian, sometimes recruiting friends to sit in his place.
He explained: "I've done two marathons on my own but this will be the first time I'll have pushed Rian in the wheelchair.
"The chair is fairly light when the path is flat, even lighter going downhill, but uphill you can really feel it - even just the little pedestrian speed bumps are a killer.
"Rian enjoys it, we've had a couple of setbacks which have taught me lessons, we've had a physio look at the chair and make some slight adjustments to make sure he feels really good for the day."
Weight won't be the only added challenge to the chair, Jimmy and Rian will have to face the prospect of punctures and the unpredictable British weather too.
Jimmy said: "I've got a rain cover for the chair if it's raining, but if you've ever pushed a pram with a rain cover in the wind you'll know what I'll be in for.
"I'm praying for good weather, it really does scare me if it's a windy rainy day. But if it is, we'll make the most of it!"
The pair are raising money for Special Effect, a charity that helps people with severe disabilities play video games after they gave Rian the gift of gaming.
The incredible technology allows dad and son to game together, something Jimmy barely considered a possibility.
"He's very good at Mario Kart," Jimmy said. "I think he cheats, he always beats his dad.
"The technology they have now is amazing, it's life-changing. To see people who are quadriplegic playing video games with the movement of their head or eyes is truly heartwarming."
More information about the challenge and the charity is available on Jimmy's JustGiving page, where he describes the endeavour as the "hardest challenge in my life so far".
It's available online at: justgiving.com/page/jimmy-daly-1704800539223
