A runner has completed seven marathons on seven continents in seven days in memory of his teenage brother.
Bobby White accepted the daunting challenge and completed the 26.2-mile (42.2-kilometer) race in an average time of 5 hours, 09 minutes and 58 seconds.
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His brother Anton died aged 15 in 2004 and since then his family have raised more than £100,000 for Glasgow Hospitals Children’s Charity.
“Ordinary people can do extraordinary things,” Bobby told BBC Scotland’s Seven O’Clock News programme.
The father-of-two, from Clydebank, West Dunbartonshire, self-funded his bid for the World Marathon Challenge, which carries a prize of $49,500 (£36,749).
It was launched in 2015 and began remote operations on January 31 from the Ultima base in Antarctica.
Marathons followed in Cape Town, South Africa; Perth, Australia; and Dubai, United Arab Emirates.
Participants then traveled to Madrid, Spain for the European leg, and from there to Fortaleza, Brazil.
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This epic challenge was completed by less than 250 people and ended on February 6 in Miami, USA.
But Bobby, 45, revealed his fundraising nearly ended in Antarctica, in the early stages of the marathon he was most looking forward to.
He said: “My calf exploded after 5 or 6 kilometers and caused me so many problems that I thought I was going to DNF [Did Not Finish] And probably won’t start a second one.
“I kind of went into a deep, dark place.
“I cried. I sacrificed so much for this.”
[BBC]
Bobby thought about all the attention he had gotten before the challenge, and he worried about letting people down.
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The real estate investor added: “Then I met the big guy Sergey. What a guy!
“He saw me at the start line in Cape Town and I was crying all the way down.
“There was still 500m to go and he just said ‘I can see you’re in pain. You need to find the strength to do this.'”
Bobby said Serge had similar motivations and was running in memory of his late son.
The pep talk kept him focused and motivated him to overcome the pain barrier in his remaining six games.
Bobby said highlights along the way included crossing the finish line with relatives in Australia and completing the marathon in Madrid, his favorite route of the week.
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He ran 183 miles (295 kilometers) in seven days and spent about 68 hours in the air.
The 2026 version was completed by 51 participants, who had to cope with temperatures from -10C (14F) to 30C (86F).
When Bobby was in his early 20s, his brother Anton died of an undiagnosed heart condition.
The runner said: “He was 15 and just entering a wonderful phase of his life.
“He was the best brother ever.
“The grief is still ongoing. It’s hard.”
As the family came to terms with the devastating loss, they received support from what was then York Hill Children’s Charity (now Glasgow Hospitals Children’s Charity).
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Bobby said: “I wanted to give something back to the charity and we’ve been fundraising ever since.”
He had completed marathons before, but felt he needed to be ready for his latest challenge.
“This time I really want to dedicate myself to something big,” Bobby said.
“One marathon is not enough for me personally.
“That’s totally enough for other people and that’s a huge achievement.
“I just knew there was more in me.”
The runner has raised more than £32,000 so far through his JustGiving page.
Bobby added: “I’ve seen firsthand the difference this will make and I’m proud to be able to do it.”
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Kirsten Watson, chief executive of Glasgow Children’s Hospital Charity, said she was extremely grateful for everyone’s continued support.
She added: “Completing the World Marathon Challenge is a huge achievement and we have no doubt Bobby will have the strength and courage to reach the finish line.
“The money the White family has generously raised for charities over the years in Anton’s memory has made a difference to the lives of children at the hospital.”