Joe Mountain from Sandy Blue and J Seabrook from BJs Oceanside managed to complete their 26.2 mile run on 26 March, heading off from Quinta do Lago at 8.43am and then running 2 laps of a 9 mile circuit round the airport before running back through Quinta to their finishing line in Quarteira.

The pair told The Portugal News: “The aim was to run a ‘negative split’ which meant doing the second half faster than the first. Considering the forecast for very warm weather and the route, which was mainly off road, (dirt tracks and the odd sandy patch) we decided that we should aim for 10kmph.

“The first half came and went in 2 hours and 5 minutes which meant the aim was anything under 4 hours and 10 minutes”.

J said: “We had a perfectly placed hill at 35km coming up from Ancão beach. It nearly stopped us but a few encouraging words from Joe and we were on the home straight through Vale do Lobo and back down to Quarteira. We made it in 4:09.54 and hence managed the ‘negative split’ by 6 seconds”.

J added: “Thanks to everyone’s amazing support for Re-Food in Almancil. This is one of the largest donations they have ever received and will help to feed hundreds of people for the coming weeks whilst we wait for the borders and businesses to open”.

Joe concluded: “We are delighted to be able to do this at a time when unemployment is up in the Algarve by 74 percent and so many good families desperately need help”.