A RUNNER on a year-long challenge to run 5km every day for charity is almost halfway to his target.

Chris Wright decided on the gruelling challenge after seeing his father-in-law Les, from Chester-le-Street, battle against Alzheimer’s Disease.

Having started on New Year’s Day, the 46-year-old will reach the halfway mark on Thursday, July 2. Most of his runs have taken place in Spain, where he now lives with his family, but he spent the 100th day running from Les’ care home to his mother-in-law’s home in Chester-le-Street and in September will take part in the Great North Run in Newcastle with his wife Sarah.

Mr Wright said: “So far the challenge is going well, I’m fitter and I’ve even lost weight since I started, which wasn’t the intention.

“I’m pleased not to have missed a single day, though I had a scare in May when I got a bad pain in my knee – I had some bad days then, but they made me realise it would have to be something pretty serious to make me stop.

“The most difficult part is finding the time to fit a run in when life is very busy, so now I automatically plan it into my day in advance.

“Some days I find I have just a one-hour window when I can run and it would be really nice to have a rest, but the thought that this challenge is helping boost dementia research helps keep me going.”