Last summer Eddie Izzard decided to run around England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales though not necessarily, as Eric Morecambe said, in the right order. The touching and thought provoking programme, Eddie Izzard: Marathon Man, was buried alive quite late at night on BBC3.
To say he did it for Sports Relief is true up to a point. The real reason is harder to fathom. He had to run 1,000 miles – 43 consecutive marathons – followed by a motorised rickshaw (with the camera crew) and an ice-cream van (with Flake 99s). To see him stumbling along in blinding rain, no cheers, no crowds, no pavements, carrying the sodden flag of the appropriate country, made you want to shout: "Excelsior!"
Towards the end of the 10th marathon, he collapsed. When they told him there were three switchback miles to go, he said: "I do that then." His therapist begged him to walk, but he did it running and, to celebrate, freewheeled downhill into Builth Wells (pop. approx 2,000) and a rousing civic reception.
To say he did it for Sports Relief is true up to a point. The real reason is harder to fathom. He had to run 1,000 miles – 43 consecutive marathons – followed by a motorised rickshaw (with the camera crew) and an ice-cream van (with Flake 99s). To see him stumbling along in blinding rain, no cheers, no crowds, no pavements, carrying the sodden flag of the appropriate country, made you want to shout: "Excelsior!"
Towards the end of the 10th marathon, he collapsed. When they told him there were three switchback miles to go, he said: "I do that then." His therapist begged him to walk, but he did it running and, to celebrate, freewheeled downhill into Builth Wells (pop. approx 2,000) and a rousing civic reception.
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