Experienced Rustington runner faces his furthest distance yet to raise money for St Barnabas House hospice in Worthing in memory of his father

Daegan Beaumont has four marathons and three ultra marathons under his belt already but he wanted to 'do something big' to thank the hospice for the care it gave his father in his final days.

He said: "I knew that to make this worthy of sponsorship, I needed to really push myself. And this will be by far the furthest I have ever run. My main goal is to do it without stopping, over the course of one day.”

The 100km race starts at Goodwood on June 17 and finishes there, too, after runners travel off road and over hills to take in the Chichester coast and Arundel Castle.

Daegan said: "It’s also about endurance – just being on my feet for the 12 to 24 hours it’s going to take. I mean, I work in an office, I sit down all day. The only exercise I get is running for an hour or two each day. So, most of my training now is just about being on my feet for as long as possible to get the body used to that kind of punishment.”

Nigel Beaumont, his dad, received a late diagnosis of lung cancer, which came as a huge shock to the family.

Daegan explained: "On March 9, our dad was admitted to hospital with blurred vision, slurred speech and confusion. The next day it became apparent that his problems were being caused by a growth on his brain. After some tests, he was then diagnosed with cancer, which had spread to his brain from his lungs.

"Although he had probably been living with this for years, it went undetected and over the next three weeks his health deteriorated rapidly, to the point where he was in need of constant care, which a busy hospital isn’t equipped for. This was a real worry to my sister and I, dealing with the shock and speed of what was happening, whilst trying to obtain the level of care our dad deserved and needed."

Getting a bed at St Barnabas House a few days later was a great relief for Daegan and his sister Taryn.

"It was very peaceful, very quiet and very spacious,” said Daegan. “It was just the perfect setting to say goodbye. The staff themselves were incredibly caring and diligent, and the care extended from my dad to the whole family, which was very much needed. The emotional reactions of the staff were always on point – they always read the room incredibly well, which again made things more comfortable for everyone.

"When Dad entered the hospice’s care, we just felt instant gratitude, like a weight had been lifted. I thought I need to give something back and I'm not good at very much, so it was running or nothing really.

"Dad wasn't interested in exercise in the slightest. He was into his motorbikes. My wedding day was the first and only time I saw him in a suit – usually he’d be in a sleeveless leather jacket and ripped jeans. But he was always very supportive of my sister and me and our achievements, so I think he’d be very, very proud.”

The personal story behind the fundraising has really touched supporters and Daegan is looking forward to seeing some of them at the finish line.

He said: "People I haven’t spoken to in a while have reached out because they’ve had similar experiences. The thing I'm most looking forward to is crossing the line and having people there – feeling that sense of achievement and making them proud. I've put it out there and raised this money, so I've got to do it now. I'll get over that line whether it takes me eight hours or 80.”

Daegan has raised more than £2,600 so far, smashing his target of £1,000. Visit www.justgiving.com/fundraising/daegan-beaumont to make a donation.