Eddie Izzard on his new worldwide treadmill challenge Run For Hope

Virgin Radio

11 Dec 2020, 11:17

The iconic comedian and record-breaking runner joined the Chris Evans Breakfast Show with Sky to talk about his next new-look marathon which involves him doing 31 marathons and performing 31 stand up gigs, in 31 countries, in 31 days throughout January 2021. We’re exhausted just thinking about it.

The comic and sporting sensation told Chris: “Covid is here and with us, so I’m going to be running 31 virtual marathons. 

“It’s about making humanity great again, raising money for charity… it’s very tricky for people at the moment, linking up with other countries, being positive and helping humanity strive forward.”

So is running all in the ankles or the head?

“It’s all in the head. The first 43 marathons I did around the UK, I thought it was 80% mental and 20% physical.

"But then I spoke to some ultra marathon runners and the joke is, they said, it’s 90% mental and the other 10% is in your head. It’s a mind game.”

How will it be different this time with the distractions of home life - and, more importantly - a comfy sofa in sight? 

Eddie said: “This time I’m on a treadmill and it seems a lot harder than running outside because there’s an incentive to get somewhere and then come home...

"On a treadmill you can pop to the loo, you can pause, have a bit of apple, it’s must trickier. I haven’t got my head round it yet.”

Think it couldn’t get any harder? It can. Eddie explained: “I’m also doing a one hour comedy show after each marathon which is going to be very tricky…

“We’ll be based at Riverside Studios in London, in a Covid-safe bubble. I should start running at twelve noon, finish about 6-6.30pm then 7pm the show starts and they’re streamed around the world. 

“It’ll be stuff from the old days and from now, and remixing it for 2020.”

It’s not the first time he’s done this heroic madness either. He explained: “I’ve done it twice. Adrenalin gets you through and you sleep afterwards.

"I'm trying to reach out to 7.8 billion people around the world and Make Humanity Great Again... that's very inclusive, the word 'humanity'. That's of us.

“People can also run with me on Zoom and chat to me, and get their avatars to join me on the run, people all around the world, so come and join me.”