Fitness guru to run marathon – that’s 177 laps of his Elephant and Castle square

A fitness guru who launched a free exercise app will practise what he preached on Sunday by running marathon  – by doing 177 laps of his square.

Robert Tansey, creator of app Mayathon, will pound around West Square in Elephant & Castle, hoping to raise thousands for NHS medics – he has already collected more than £2,000.

He was scheduled to take part in the London Marathon this Sunday and has decided not to let the training go to waste.

A measuring wheel shows that it is 238m around the square, so he will have to complete 177.3 laps to complete his modified marathon.

He said: “I will do my own slightly mad, but socially-distanced, marathon around West Square instead.

“I will have to do 177.3 laps to complete the full 26.2-miles. If I can do that in one minute per lap, I will clock a sub three-hour marathon.

“We have a number of NHS workers who live on the square and nearby, so one of my chosen charities is NHS Together, which is the NHS’s umbrella charity.”

“The other is the National Emergencies Trust, which works with local charities and distribution partners to ensure that financial support is delivered to those who need it most.

“The London Marathon normally raises more money on a single day than any other event in the world. This year it can’t take place, leaving a huge hole in a lot of charities’ budgets.

“I am lucky enough to live on a square in London, so even at the moment I am able to exercise outdoors.

“I am also hoping to raise the profile of Mayathon; a new social enterprise I have recently launched, whose aim is to get as many people as possible feeling healthier and happier.

“Use the free app to buddy-up (virtually) with a friend or family member and encourage each other to do 26 minutes of exercise a day to improve your overall well-being.”