"Mad Runner" Harry Completes First Race in the Canalslam raising £1000 for Mission Motorsport.

• Harry Fraser, an avid supporter of Mission Motorsport completes the first of three Ultra Marathons and raises £1000 for Mission Motorsport.

Harry Fraser, of Harry Fraser Vehicle Upholstery, a specialist upholstery company based at Bicester Heritage has completed the first race of the gruelling Canalslam race series raising £1000 of his fundraising target of £3,000 for Mission Motorsport.

Competing in The Grand Union Canal Race last weekend, Harry ran from little Venice in the heart of London and finished at Gas Street Basin in the Centre of Birmingham, running the entire waymarked Grand Union Canal Towpath. Running solo for the first 75 miles, Harry was then joined by “buddy” runners who provided words of encouragement, support and a morale boost. Battling a range of weather conditions and muddy running conditions, Harry ran through the night to complete the 145 mile race in an outstanding time of 42 hours and 46 minutes.

Talking about his first event Harry Said, “I pushed myself beyond my normal limits because that is exactly what the people (members of the forces) I’m fundraising to help have done! I am mindful that I get to do it in a safe environment which is a luxury I appreciate!"

There is, however, no rest of the wicked! Harry is now preparing for his next race, The Warwickshire Ring 111 mile Canal Race on the 29th June.

The Warwickshire Ring Canal Race is a circular route comprised of sections of the Coventry; Birmingham & Fazeley; Grand Union; and Oxford Canal towpaths. Starting and finishing at Coventry Basin, the anti-clockwise circuit covers approximately 111 canal miles.

Starting at 08:00 hours on Saturday 29th June, competitors have until 17:00 on Sunday 30th June to reach the finish, a total of 33 hours and must check in at each of the four checkpoints, located approximately 25 miles apart, at different times of the race. The varied, easy-to-follow, course takes in rural, urban, and industrial areas. Competitors will enjoy an unusual view of “Spaghetti Junction”, descend the “Stairway to Heaven”, round the “Cape of Good Hope”, and pass no less than four “Boat Inns” during their endeavours.

Like the first race, Harry must run the first 75 miles solo, with “buddy runners” invited to run with him from Check Point 3 at Birdingbury Bridge Car Park, CV23 8HQ . Like his first race, we would like to invite anybody who wishes to, to support and accompany him across the finish line.

If you can support Harry as a buddy runner please contact Charlotte at cw@missionmotorsport.org.

If you can’t run but would like to support Harry, he is raising money through his Just Giving page. You can donate here: