TRAVELLING more than 2,000 miles seems a long way to practice for the London Marathon but that’s what Blunsdon resident Matt Elnwick did this week.

Mr Elnwick, of Churchill Avenue, flew to Israel for yesterday’s Jerusalem Marathon to raise money for UK charity Christian Friends before he takes on the London Marathon in April for the Swindon Food Bank After completing the Great North Run and Swindon half marathon last year, Elnwick is progressing to the full distance and travelled abroad for the first time since 2007.

He said: “I hoped to get into the London Marathon but I didn’t know whether I was successful until the end of January so I applied to Jerusalem.

“Because there are a lot less entrants there was no ballot. I really wanted to go to Israel and this was an opportunity to do that and I could still raise money.

“As a Christian, Jerusalem is a place where I have been keen to visit, and more so in recent years.

“I was excited about the opportunity to run through the sun drenched golden streets of Jerusalem, the centre of the earth, a place where faith collides, where my saviour Jesus walked and did the miraculous, and a hot bed of history, pilgrimage and romance.”

Elnwick ran for UK charity Christian Friends of Israel and two of their projects that have affected people in Israel and children in the surrounding regions.

Shevet Achim provides lifesaving heart surgery to Arab children from Syria, Iraq, Morocco and Gaza, while Under His Wings is a charity set up to provide palliative and productive care to Israelis that have had to rebuild their lives after increased rocket attacks from Gaza since 2006.

For most completing the 26.2 miles is an achievement in itself, but Elnwick says he’s using the Jerusalem marathon as a warm-up for the main event in London.

He said: “For an amateur it’s a bit crazy, for someone like Mo Farah it’s something he takes in his stride.

“As a young lad I always had the desire to run the London Marathon. Watching it on TV in the 80’s and 90’s it was exciting to watch and I thought it was something that I would do one day.

“As a man approaching his 40th year I had begun to think if I want to fulfil that dream then I better get on with it.”

Any money raised by finishing in London will being going to purchase food for residents and families in Swindon via the Swindon Food Bank.

Elnwick, who attends Bradenstoke providence Baptist chapel, said his motivation to raise money for such a cause comes from a time when his family were struggling due to issues with HMRC.

He said: “I contacted Christian’s Against Poverty and albeit they couldn’t help with the HMRC issue they sought to bless my family with a Christmas food hamper.”

Anyone wishing to support Elnwick on this challenge can sponsor him by visiting www.justgiving.com/LoveMatthew-Elwick.

Readers can also donate to Elnwick’s London Marathon page by visiting www.uk.virginmoneygiving.com/MatthewElwick