Blackburn grandad takes part in Melbourne Marathon (From Lancashire Telegraph)

Blackburn grandad takes part in Melbourne Marathon

4:24pm Tuesday 30th October 2012 in News

A BLACKBURN grandad who moved to Australia has completed the Melbourne Marathon.

Mark Burton, 51, moved to Melbourne, with his wife Carole and three boys, Daniel, Chris, and Matt, in 1990 for work.

With 13 pieces of luggage, and their worldly possessions, stuffed into a container that they would see in six weeks’ time, on the other side of the world, they left Blackburn behind.

Last year Mark, now a grandfather of one, completed the Melbourne half-marathon, and swore he’d never do another.

He said: “I confided to my wife that a full marathon was way beyond me and that the human body simply isn’t built for 21km of running, never mind 42km.

“The next day I was discussing the run with a friend at work. who is a seasoned veteran of 13 marathons. and he uttered the words that started it off, ‘Well Mark, if you’re satisfied with half of something, that's up to you’.

“That’s where it started.”

Mark finished the race in 4 hours, 44 minutes.

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