Adrian Blair (27), who now lives in Shau Kei Wan, Hong Kong, donned his trainers on Sunday, February 17 to run the 26.2 miles to raise money for CAFOD, a charity who work to end poverty.

Son of Shirley and the late Ernie Blair from Moyle Road in Ballycastle, Adrian has spent the last year travelling around India and South East Asia and now teaches Mathematics in Hong Kong.

Adrian, a former pupil of Ballycastle Primary School and Dalriada School, explained: "I studied a Mathematics and Statistics degree in 2003 and then a PGCE degree enabling me to teach maths at Secondary Schools. However after a year and a half at a school in Leeds I got the travelling bug.

"So for the best part of 2007 I have been travelling around India and South East Asia - during which I spent a month helping an animal charity in Sikkim in India and also hiked to the Base Camp of Mount Everest in Nepal, which was amazing.

"I am now living in Hong Kong as a maths teacher."
The territory's biggest outdoor sporting event, the Hong Kong Marathon is part of the Greatest Race on Earth which comprises four marathons in different continents and attracts some of the world's top runners competing for over US$1 million in prize money.

And after months of training as well as great support from the local community, Adrian managed to raise over £600 for CAFOD - The Catholic Agency for Overseas Development and relief agency of the Catholic Church in England and Wales.

"I would just like to say a huge thanks to the Ballymoney and Moyle Times for running the story a few months back about me running the Hong Kong Marathon in February," Adrian continued.

"Because of it I raised more money than I would have done - my target was £200, however I went above that collecting £600 for the charity CAFOD. I'd like to thank everyone for their sponsorship and support - it really meant a lot that people were supporting me and helped me on the day.

"My aim was to beat 4 hours and I finished in 3 hours 33 minutes and 7 seconds - I did the first half of the Marathon in 1 hour and 40 minutes but the second half was gruelling and I had to drop my pace.

"I came 452nd out of about 5500 starters. And finally as much as I enjoyed the experience the last hour of the run was one of the toughest in my life and I don't know if I'll be back for another marathon - we'll see what happens though.

Adrian added: "CAFOD is a great charity who work to end poverty and make a just world. In over 60 countries they work alongside the poor, regardless of race or religion, building global partnerships for change and campaigning for a fairer world."