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After years of mental and physical abuse at the hand of playground bullies, Ben Smith is overcoming cripplingly low self-esteem and two suicide attempts to embark on a once-in-a-lifetime challenge to run 401 marathons in 401 days in 2015. The 32-year-old Bristol runner is raising awareness of Brighton-based anti-bullying charity Ditch The Label – oh, and because his love of running has turned his life around. Men’s Running caught up with him to find out more about 401:401 challenge and why he’s looking for support from runners and running clubs up and down the country.

What’s the challenge exactly?

The challenge is to run 401 marathons in 401 consecutive days starting from 1st September 2015 and lasting to the middle of October 2016

When does it run from?

The challenge will begin and end in Bristol my home city. The journey will take me to 364 different locations throughout the UK, taking in places in England, Wales and Scotland, covering all areas between Lands End and John O’ Groats. I will be taking part in 10 official UK marathons with the remaining 390 being organised with local running clubs around the country.

Are the marathons a mix of organised and own route? 

The runs will be a mixture of organised marathons and my own routes organised with the help of running clubs around the country.

Most importantly, why are you doing it?

I am doing this for a charity close to my heart called ‘Ditch the Label’ an anti bullying charity based in Brighton (www.ditchthelabel.org). I was bullied both mentally and physically at school for eight years for being shy, skinny and just different to all the other kids. The ramifications of this meant I have suffered from low self-esteem, low confidence levels and a general lack of self worth for the whole of my adult life. This year I embarked on a challenge for the Meningitis Now charity which saw me run 18 marathons in the UK and internationally. I run for Southville Running club in Bristol and getting into running over the past few years has given me the opportunity to meet some amazing people, make some great friends and really find something I love.

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The marathons this year were part of a confidence-building objective for me that ultimately gave me the confidence to start this challenge. I have grown so much both in confidence and self-esteem and this has come down to running – it is a part of who I am. I wouldn’t profess to be amazing at it – I run a marathon is 3:17 [ED: which is pretty darn respectable] – however I absolutely love it. Being able to do this challenge for Ditch the Label will ultimately give me the opportunity to support a charity that really makes a difference in schools and colleges around the country. I will be talking in schools around the country as part of the project on the attitudes towards bullying and really showing that just because you are bullied you don’t need to be a victim, good things can come from it and there is hope.

What’s your running background?

I hated running at school to be honest with you, I was never very good at it. It has only been over the past three years that I have found my true passion for it. I’m an outdoors person anyway and travel a lot with my job; running gives me the freedom to get away from all my issues. I call it ‘my filing time’: you know when you have a jumbled head and go for a run, when you get back everything seems to have sorted itself out. Having run 18 marathons this year and two, two years ago, marathons have been a goal for me and I have been able to bring my time down this year from 4hrs 37mins to 3hrs 17mins which I am incredibly proud about. I have 16 marathons booked in already between February and May next year, seven of which will take place in the USA as part of the Riverboat series. Just to add, all my marathons have been self-funded and I don’t have a sponsor. I do it because I love it.

What’s your biggest concern?

Sponsorship for the event. We need some big sponsors to come on board and help fund the cost of the event – which is around £30,000. Building awareness of this project through Facebook, Twitter and the website that is currently being developed is pivotal to this success. Myself and the charity are creating a brand identity for this project called 400:400; once this is completed we will use this across all forms of communication including bespoke corporate sponsorship proposals. I am lucky already as we have a clothing sponsor in the form of ‘Be and Athlete’ clothing by Phil Learney and also I am in talks with Ben Coomber regarding the nutritional side of the project. I work closely with a personal trainer Andy Davis who is part of Pure Results in Bristol.

What’s you day job? How do they feel about it?

I am an account executive, which means I travel a lot; my company has been incredibly supportive of this challenge and even though I will need to give up my career, if I choose to want to go back then there are opportunities. That’s all you can ask really. However I am sure I will be a completely different person by the end of this amazing journey so who knows what the opportunities maybe.

Do you have a support crew?

Currently it is just me, some of my friends and the charity. I like this as we are all personally invested in ensuring this is a success.

What’s the message you’d like to get across?

No matter how bad things get in life, turning things into a positive experience is always the answer. Going from being bullied for eight years, trying to take my own life twice because I just didn’t want to be on this earth anymore and couldn’t see a way out, to having run 20 marathons and having an opportunity to raise £250,000 for a charity that can help children like I was I think is a perfect example of triumph over advisory. Knowing your limits and being able to push them as far as you can only means you grow even more as a person and as a human being. I believe you get one chance at life – I want to ensure my chance is best it can be.