A HEREFORD runner has made a marathon effort to achieve a remarkable milestone.

Paul Watts, a student at the Royal National College for the Blind (RNC), has been presented with an award for completing his 200th marathon by his local club, the Wye Valley Runners.

And with typical tenacity, Paul, aged 44, has since gone one better and wrapped up marathon number 201.

Paul is guided by sighted runners with the help of a small piece of rubber.

“We have almost a figureof- eight pulley to contact us and put some insulating tape round it to stiffen it up so it’s not too flexible,” said Paul. “I’ve run with a number of runners. I contact the Hundred Marathon Club and see who is available to run.”

Paul has run all over the world, including the US and Europe, and completed his first marathon in 1989.

“I do it just to prove that being blind means you don’t have to sit down and do nothing,” said Paul, who is now aiming to become a fitness instructor after studying sport and recreation at college.

Paul has received a plaque from his running group to celebrate his 200th milestone, achieved at Stratford.

“It is made out of wood with a braille label and also has the figure 200 so you can feel it,” said Paul.

Paul is not planning to take it easy now he’s reached the milestone.

“I’ve got 12 more planned before the end of the year but if I can find more I’ll do them,” he said.