City teacher's two and a half marathons

An Exeter PE teacher is set to run two of the UK’s great half-marathon events to raise funds for training charity St Loye’s Foundation.

Matt Upston, 39, from Heavitree will start the Great North Run alongside 56,000 entrants and some of the world’s leading athletes on Sunday 7 September, followed six weeks later by competing in the Great West Run around Exeter on Sunday 19 October.

Matt, a Schools Sports Coordinator, opted to support St Loye’s after training with Keryn Seal, the blind England International footballer who is an ambassador for the charity.

Matt said: “I got to know Keryn because my five-year-old son attends St Michael’s School with Keryn’s daughter. I started guide running for him in 2012 and we planned to run the Great West Run last year but Keryn couldn’t do it due to his training commitments with the England team. 

"I also learned more about St Loye’s from him and the fantastic work they do with disadvantaged people so I’m very pleased to raise money for such a good cause in two major events.”

St Loye’s helps people with health, disability and social issues providing a range of services including employment training, care and support and learning and skills giving individuals the support and practical knowledge they need to access employment.

Matt, who aims to raise as much as possible for St Loye’s is now bitten with the running bug and is becoming more ambitious with his future plans.

“As I found myself getting fitter I have started to push myself further and further.  Some day’s I’ll run around 22 kilometres to build my stamina and I feel I’m capable of more.  After these events, I’ll start training for a marathon and my ultimate goal is to run ultra marathons which are all terrain and can be up to 80 kilometres.”

Anyone wishing to sponsor Matt can do so by visiting https://mydonate.bt.com/fundraisers/mattupston1