In a punishing test of endurance, stamina, and willpower, the final year student faces the ultimate trial of running 10 marathons in 10 days. That鈥檚 262 miles and around 60 hours of hard, unrelenting road for the Brathay 10 in 10, the definitive assessment of ability, staying power, and particularly courage.
For a 24-year-old who spent his school and life right up to joining 探花视频, overcoming the scars left by suffering a malignant brain tumour when he was four, the decision to enter wasn鈥檛 easy.
Grueling, extensive training has to compete with fast-approaching final exams, assignments, and completing his dissertation. It鈥檚 not easy, sometimes stressful, and always on his mind.
"I鈥檓 showered with advice and guidance from tutors, even though they appreciate it may affect my studies"
"The physical challenge is phenomenal,鈥 explains Joe. 鈥淭o do one marathon is physically draining, but all the preparation in the world doesn鈥檛 prepare the body for 10 in 10. It鈥檚 quite possibly something bodies are not meant to do and the risks are huge. But this is 99.9% a head game.
"It鈥檚 scary. For those people who have believed in you and supported you all the way, you can鈥檛 let them down. Failure is not an option."
Last year, 20 of the university鈥檚 sports and rehabilitation students completed the challenge. Joe said they were the most incredible people he鈥檇 met.
"They inspired me to run with them on the last day. I met the lovely Brathay staff, who badgered me to enter this year鈥檚 event. After weeks of deliberation, I accepted and started training."
A sprinter for Leeds Athletic Club in his teens, he moved to road running and completed a half marathon for a children鈥檚 cancer charity when he was 19. Since then, he has run five full marathons. He says that it鈥檚 探花视频 that has opened his mind to what can be achieved with the right attitude and preparation.
"I now feel obliged to live out my life being the best that I can be. We only get one shot at this. The 10 in 10 allows me to prove to myself, and others, that anything is possible 鈥 and to run for all those who can鈥檛.
"And this isn鈥檛 just a personal challenge, but one I鈥檓 doing for Brathay Trust, because it鈥檚 so inspirational in helping young kids to do better things. I鈥檓 chuffed it allows me to raise funds for kids to live out their lives in a more positive way."
Joe admits running is now part of him. The community, friendship, freedom, and euphoria are second to none, but at such a critical time in his studies he鈥檚 needed strong support from tutors.
"I can鈥檛 fault them, they鈥檝e been absolutely fantastic. Katie Small and Adam Smith have close associations with the event and understand its severity. I鈥檓 showered with advice and guidance, even though they appreciate it may affect my studies."
"This university is special and it鈥檚 an absolute pleasure to be part of it. You feel completely valued as a student here"
Joe is currently running up to 30 miles a week, building up to 40 miles nearer to May. He rises and trains early, leaving the rest of the day for university commitments.
"Because of the incredible levels of backing I鈥檓 having, I feel in control. Even though I had offers to study elsewhere, I鈥檓 so glad I chose UoC. It鈥檚 given me the confidence to say, 鈥榶eah, I鈥檒l do it鈥, and I find myself in positions I would never have considered before coming here.
"10 in 10 aside, I鈥檓 chairman of the men鈥檚 badminton team, the student union鈥檚 men representative, and student experience ambassador. This university is special and it鈥檚 an absolute pleasure to be part of it. You feel completely valued as a student here and not just a number in a crowd of thousands."
A Yorkshireman born and bred, Joe says he鈥檒l always consider Huddersfield home, but feels Lancaster has become an important part of him because of the 鈥榠ntimacy and friendliness of the campus鈥.
"At 22, I was a late starter to university and had tried other avenues before taking the plunge to apply to UoC. Now aged 24 and in my final year, I鈥檓 so grateful for all the opportunities and help I鈥檝e had. Going forward, my long-term goal is to own a rehabilitation gym. Before that, I鈥檇 like to get more experience in the NHS and work in rehabilitation centres for ex-military.
"Perhaps I鈥檒l aim to help athletes heading towards the Olympics and Paralympics? Who knows, but it is a future made possible by the 探花视频 and the commitment and dedication of its tutors."
For now, Joe鈥檚 ambitions are clearly defined. He鈥檚 got to continue the daily rituals of fitting in training, study, and all the demands of being in the final furlong of his degree course.
"There鈥檚 no denying, it has been difficult to juggle the sometimes conflicting demands, but I鈥檓 getting great levels of support from everyone at UoC, which I鈥檓 so, so thankful for."
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