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Former drug addict runs 110 miles in 24 hours

Handout Stephen Melling wearing an orange vest running with a medal around his neck after finishing a run in ManchesterHandout
Stephen Melling has now run up to 40 marathons in just over a year

A former drug addict and alcoholic who only took up running last year has covered 110 miles in 24 hours to raise funds for his support group.

Stephen Melling, 45, started from Arnside, Cumbria, before finishing in Whitby, North Yorkshire, on Saturday, to raise money for charity Recovery Runners.

The father-of-four, from Liverpool, said he had had to briefly stop twice after he nearly fell asleep while still running and then started hallucinating.

Mr Melling had a £150-a-day drugs and three bottles of wine habit before he quit. He then started running and, since July 2023, has managed to run nearly 40 marathons and ultra-marathons.

He told the BBC this latest run though had been tough.

"I could feel myself falling asleep running, so I had to rest. I slept for an hour and had some coffee," he said.

"At one point I started hallucinating and could not run in a straight line.

"It was crazy - it felt like my body was telling me something and I had to stop again and rest. It was incredible thing to get to the end."

The runner said at the height of his addiction he was spending £150 a day on drugs.

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He said that in January 2023, he was "in such a bad way" he had made plans to end his life, but that was when he "knew I had to change".

However, a friend suggested he take up running and he kicked things off by going round a car park, which he initially found "horrible" - but now he is director of Recovery Runners.

He says "running saved my life" and has now completed 10 ultra-marathons and more than 30 marathons.

Stephen Melling Stephen Melling sits down by a tree as he rests with his head torch onStephen Melling
The ultra-marathon runner had to rest a couple of times during his run

Mr Melling has so far raised £6,800 of a £15,000 target to try and set up a base for his group.

Recovery Runners help people overcome addiction and mental health challenges and they have more than 100 members.

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