Whitehead on 'biggest challenge' of 100 marathons

When Richard Whitehead lined up for his first marathon more than two decades ago in New York, he was about to do something he never thought possible – run.

Since then, it is as if has never stopped.

The Nottinghamshire athlete has dashed to win two Paralympic gold medals as well as numerous world titles for Britain and criss-crossed the world pounding the bitumen to set a number of world records.

He dreamed big in the Big Apple that November day in 2004, and it is at the same race 21 years later that he is now looking to complete his 100th marathon later this year.

"It's the biggest challenge I've ever done," Whitehead told BBC East Midlands Today.

"Every marathon is up and down, very emotional. But that final mile, back to where I completed that first marathon as someone who never thought they would be able to run, will be incredible.

"Running has been life changing for me and my family."

Whitehead, who has two prosthetics after being born without the lower part of his legs, established himself as a sporting icon for all that he achieved as an athlete dubbed 'Britain's bladerunner'.

He is the marathon man who turned into a sprint star after he was told his classification would not feature in the long distance events at his home Paralympics in 2012.

He spent the best part of the decade after that challenging for, and often winning, the biggest prizes on offer over 100m and 200m.

But it is over 26.2 miles that Whitehead continues to go strong at the age of 48.

He has completed three marathons in 2025 already, taking his overall tally to 83, and has a packed schedule of races ahead of him to get to the milestone century later this year.

"I'll be travelling all over the world to significant places that have supported me or I've competed at in the past," Whitehead said.

"And then delivering by not just running 26 miles, but also delivering a performance that I'm proud of but also, hopefully, showcases who I am as a person from Nottingham, East Midlands and Great Britain.

"But also highlights disability to people that may have never seen it before.

"Hopefully it challenges that anything is possible in life. If you believe you can achieve massive things."

Preparations for the arduous months ahead has had Whitehead in the sports science labs at Loughborough University's Peter Harrison Centre, which specialises in disability sport research.

Every facet of what he puts into his training has been logged, monitored and studied.

"I'm 48-years-old now and I feel like I have used my age as knowledge and experience, but I still feel there are lots of areas that I can improve," Whitehead said.

"People bang on about retirement and say 'at your age you should be doing something else', but I think its about changing that status quo and changing the dial around what is possible."