Nigel Farage has issued a heartfelt plea to GB News viewers after one of his constituents completed a 79-part ultramarathon.
Sam King, 32, originally from Frinton-on-Sea, smashed the standing record of 60 ultramarathons after being received by hundreds of local residents outside the Free Church on Connaught Avenue.
Mr King moved back to the Essex seaside town from London after his mother suffered a serious brain bleed earlier this year.
He initially aimed to run 74 ultramarathons in as many days, later deciding to up the feat to 79 as part of a fundraiser for Headway UK.
He has already raised more than £50,000 for the brain injury charity, with a £74,000 target set to mark the age his mother suffered from her brain bleed.
Speaking to GB News, Mr Farage said: “It’s absolutely phenomenal.
Nigel Farage has issued a heartfelt plea to GB News viewers after one of his constituents completed a 79-part ultramarathon
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GB NEWS
“It isn’t just about physical fitness, it’s about mental forbearance, endurance.
“To have done this, I understand early on he had a couple of injuries, he was sick one day, just kept going, and talking to the other runners had to be with him, they say, you know, after the first 25 miles, when they’re all tired, he just steams ahead of everybody.
“It’s a wonderful thing. And, you know, his poor mother, of course, struck down at 74 with brain cancer. And he’s done it for the Headway UK charity.
“I hope GB News viewers will be generous to Headway, the charity, because something like this, I think, thoroughly deserves support.”
Nigel Farage joined hundreds of locals to welcome Sam King
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GB NEWS
Mr Farage also sang the praises of residents in his local constituency after seeing a huge turnout to greet Mr King in Frinton-on-Sea.
“I’ve been the MP for the Clacton constituency for nearly 18 months,” Mr Farage explained.
“Whether it’s Frinton, Jaywick, Clacton, this part of Essex has still got a real sense of community.
“And today, this has been fantastic. So many people from Frinton have turned out and the sun is shining.
Sam King increased the number of ultramarathons from 74 to 79
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GB NEWS
“He was able to greet his mum on the steps, which, if you think about it, had it been a gale and raining couldn’t have happened.
“There’s a lovely warm feeling about all of this this morning. And, of course, the charity, Headway, is a very, very good cause.”
Mr King, who was ranked number one in the world for Call of Duty and weighed around six stone heavier before taking up running, also told the People’s Channel: “I thought I was going to lose my mum on January 29 this year.
“We were told that she wouldn’t make it. And to be honest, before I did anything, she was very proud of me and I know that I had to be more proud of me.
Sam King spoke to GB News after arriving at the Free Church
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GB NEWS
“But I’m also proud of her because she’s managed to overcome everything she has this year. She inspired this challenge.”
Explaining why he increased the number of ultramarathons from 74 to 79, the 32-year-old added: “I realised I miscalculated. So, the 74th would have been on a Tuesday and I really wanted to finish outside the church comes out on a Sunday and because more people could come down on the weekend.”
Mr King, who was swamped by support outside the Free Church, also detailed how he started his running journey after putting on a considerable amount of weight while struggling with a gaming addiction.
“I realised quite early on when I was a gamer that I had an addictive personality and I was number one in the world on Call of Duty, and I was really overweight from doing that.
“And when I came out of that phase, I knew I needed to be healthier. And that’s exactly what I’ve done. I found running.”
To find out more about Sam King’s Project 74 fundraiser, click here.