Incredible Mick Ennis from King’s Lynn ran his 200th 10K in just under two years at the age of 80 years old and Fen Regis Trophies were delighted to recognise his fantastic achievement.
Many of us set an early alarm with every intention of getting up and putting our running trainers on at the crack of dawn. In reality, the snooze button takes a battering and another day is chalked up without going for a run…and so the cycle continues. But not for 80-year-old Mick Ennis, who chalked up his 200th 10K in just under two years on 21 February.
Although Mick has always been involved in sports one way or another, coaching kids at his local football club in his younger days, it wasn’t until 2011 when he first took up running with Parkrun in King’s Lynn. In 2012, Mick joined Ryston Runners and ran in the Grand East Anglia Run (GEAR) and has run in every one since.
Going for 200
In March 2020, just as the country was placed into lockdown due to the global pandemic, Mick decided to set himself a challenge. While we were baking banana bread and setting up home offices, Mick was working towards running 200 10Ks.
Fresh from hitting the track, Mick told us: “We had the lockdown and I had been running with Parkrun. I had a few injuries and then just started running on my own and reached 9K.
“I just started running 10k every other day and it just went from there.”
It wasn’t a conscious effort at first to go for 200, with Mick admitting that it was the support of his friends and family that kept him going and hungry for more.
“I was in the paper when I did 100 and everyone keeps me going,” he said. “Including the boys who I used to coach football.
“They are all in their 40s and 50s now, but they still kept saying ‘come on guv’nor!’”
Hitting 200
Having raised money for numerous local charities, spurred on by the passing of his wife from cancer in 2008, the former postman decided that he would raise money for a cause that is close to his heart – the Friends of the Stroke Unit in King’s Lynn. His 200th 10K would see him cross the finish line just outside of Lavender Court, the independent living development where he has lived since 2019.
Mick, though, was not expecting quite as much attention as he garnered, being greeted by a cheering crowd, photographers, taped finish line and a beautiful shield, supplied by Fen Regis Trophies, to recognise his achievement.
He said: “It was a surprise when I finished being presented with the award. I wasn’t expecting to see so many people…maybe half a dozen, but not that many!”
Going for 300?
Despite reaching the fabulous milestone, Mick isn’t stopping there. He is fully aware of the magnitude of the achievement of being able to continue running into his 80s and refuses to hang his running trainers up just yet.
“I think that when I get to 250 I’ll then aim for 300,” he admitted. “The other day I bumped into someone else who is the same age as me and he has bad breathing problems, so it just brought it all home as to how lucky I am.”
Here at Fen Regis Trophies, we would like to send our congratulations to Mick for his accomplishment and look forward to hearing news of his 300th 10K run! You can show your support by donating to Mick’s JustGiving page here.
If you would like some more information on the range of shields, awards and trophies that Fen Regis Trophies can supply, please get in contact with a member of our team today.
Picture credit: Ian Burt/Your Local Paper