Olly Murs broke down in tears after completing his brutal 400KM endurance challenge, which has raised a staggering £832,257 for UNICEF and Soccer Aid. The 42-year-old singer was comforted by his wife Amelia as he crossed the finish line at London Stadium on Friday, having begun the challenge at Manchester's Old Trafford on Monday.
A Journey of Pain and Perseverance
Olly traversed the gruelling route on foot, bike, and even a canoe to mark Soccer Aid for UNICEF's 20th Anniversary. His final day saw him cycling from St Albans to London's West End before running into the capital's Olympic Park to a roaring crowd. Upon seeing Amelia, with whom he shares two-year-old daughter Madison and eight-month-old son Albie, Olly burst into tears.
Crossing the finish line, he said: 'Done. Finito, finished. Oh, my God. It's been a painful week, but I've enjoyed pushing my body to the limit each day. I've had highs and lows, I've laughed and cried, a lot, but it's all helped me get through.'
Emotional Gratitude
He added: 'Thank you from the bottom of my heart to everyone for donating. For every single person that's given a little bit towards Soccer Aid for UNICEF, it's going to make a huge difference. I have seen the benefits of what UNICEF has done over the years, and it really does have a huge impact. I'm a dad myself and all I want to do is keep my kids safe and protected and knowing this money will help give kids that opportunity is amazing.'
Birthday Finish
On Thursday, Olly's emotions again got the better of him as he crossed the finish line in Northamptonshire shortly before midnight and the advent of his 41st birthday on May 14. The star, whose efforts have resulted in him needing a toenail removed, was overwhelmed after fans gathered in the darkness to sing happy birthday as he completed his third day.
'I put a brave face on it today. I felt like I needed to really,' he said. 'I needed to kind of hit it, I needed to kind of tackle it full on and there were times that I was really struggling but, you know, all the people that have come along today, I really appreciate it. It means a lot. I feel bad I didn't get a chance to see everyone and thank them personally but it really means a lot. I'm putting my body out there on the line and the donations really help so thank you.'
The Route and Challenges
With his route for day one revealed live on Heart Radio, Murs needed a toenail removed before he set off on foot from the wild heathland of Cannock Chase. He then tackled the biggest ride of the challenge – over 100km through the centre of Lichfield, along an ancient Roman road and via a tough climb through Nuneaton. Just past Warwickshire town Rugby, Murs ran in the dark to Nether Heyford to a crowd of supporters singing him an early 'happy birthday' in what was his latest finish.
The day was full of torrential rain and even an unexpected reroute to avoid a local fire but fellow Heart presenter, Emma Bunton, shared a good luck message to spur him on. Last year's Soccer Aid for UNICEF Challenger, Sam Thompson, also called to share some moral support.
'I just want you to know how much I flipping respect you,' he said. 'I mean that from the bottom of my soul. I know what it's like to put yourself – at 41 – in a position where you've had knee operations and you're doing it all, I am in awe.'
Support from Fellow Celebrities
Jake Quickenden, who recently joined Olly for a run live on This Morning, said: 'That was actually very tough. My legs are burning. It was all uphill. The weather was absolutely horrendous. What Olly likes to do, I think, is he puts a smile on and pretends he's alright but deep down he's in the trenches. His shins are hurting him. His knees are hurting him. Hats off. The guy's doing amazing. What he's doing for children all over the world. It's going to help so many people. You can see he just wants to get as many donations in for these kids. It means the world to him. You can really feel that when you're talking to him. Please donate – even a quid – it goes a long way so please get your donations in because this is no small feat.'
He added: 'It's 400km. He's not even halfway through it yet! His body's breaking down and he's struggling so those donations and finding out how much he's raised is really going to drive him on.'
Balancing Fatherhood and Training
The singer, who first played at Soccer Aid for UNICEF in 2010, recently told the Daily Mail about how he has been juggling fatherhood on top of his work commitments and intense training plan. He said: 'I've been doing a lot of training, but I love keeping fit anyway. I've just kind of enjoyed going out and running and cycling and getting out in the open and just keeping myself fit. I've definitely had to change it slightly because this is all about endurance and before I loved doing my weight training. I like doing boxing and a bit of CrossFit training.'
'I'm a morning person, so everything that I do, I try and arrange it around the kids. I try and help Amelia with getting the kids out of bed, getting them downstairs, getting their nappy changed and getting their breakfast ready. And then around probably seven or eight o'clock, I'll make sure that I eat something. I've got a nutritionist in, a guy called Greg Marriott, who's been helping me out. He is someone that I trust and someone who works with sports stars and people in that field. He's been helping me eat well and fuel my body right. Then I'll just go out and run and I don't know how long for, I just kind of go out and see how I feel.'
