Callum Gawne said the support of his team and the community helped get him over the line in this weekend’s Parish Walk.
The Onchan man claimed his first Parish Walk title with a gap of around 45 minutes over joint second Tristan Shields and Ladies winner Sammy Bowden.
“It feels unbelievable,” Gawne said after completing the grueling 85-mile course in 15 hours, 49 minutes, and 49 seconds.
“It wasn’t straightforward – a very hot day and well, to be honest, firstly, I’d like to say thank you to all the amazing people that came out to support me, because, to be honest, that probably was what dragged me through.”
Strength
Gawne said he drew particular strength from the children he coaches.
“I had so much support from the kids that I coach in the school, or kids that I have coached over the years. It was just this is the kind of thing that gets you through this. Without that, I probably wouldn’t have been able to get through it, to be honest.”
Gawne overcame sweltering conditions and a painful shin injury to secure victory.
“Well, it was challenging, to be honest, from the very so hot and so humid, really difficult, but I hurt my shin,” he explained.
Gawne added: “I had to basically just limp down the hills, basically, it has not been a straightforward day at all.
“So basically, from there [on towards[ home was really, really challenging and as I say, that’s where the support of the people definitely dragged me through, because it was, it was, I’ve not had pain like that before.”
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