Sam King, 31, originally from Frinton-on-sea in Essex but living in South West London for the last 11 years, is taking on ‘Project 74’ in an ode to mum-of-four Penny, who spent 29 weeks in hospital due to a subarachnoid haemorrhage - an uncommon type of stroke caused by bleeding on the surface of the brain.
Penny- whose age of 74 has inspired Sam’s challenge - has now been discharged to a care home but sadly can no longer walk and struggles to feed herself or hold a conversation.
Sam, who moved back to Frinton in August to be closer to his mum, also hopes to raise £74,000 for Headway – the brain injury association, who work to improve life after brain injury by providing vital support and information services.
Recalling the day when Penny sustained her injury, Sam said: “We were having a normal morning. We enjoyed taking our coffees out and sitting on a bench to watch the sunrise.
“Afterwards, I flipped my laptop open to start work and next thing my mum's best friend - who she'd been living with - screams my name.“I knew something bad had happened.“I went upstairs, and mum was falling to the ground. I held her and called 999.
“We live quite far away from any services. It took 45 minutes or so for the ambulance to arrive and mum was fitting and barely breathing.
“It was the worst day of my life.”
Sam and his siblings were told by doctors that their mum wouldn’t survive but fortunately she did.
Sam has now given up his management consulting job in London to complete Project 74, with his brother also taking a career hiatus to help Sam with his endeavour.
Project 74 is also a testament to what you can achieve when you put your mind to it, says Sam, who hasn’t always found running easy as five years ago he was severely overweight and addicted to gaming.
Sam said: “I was number one in the world on Call of Duty at one point. I'd be up all night playing it.
“But as a result of that phase I put on a lot of weight; I ate rubbish and was smoking and drinking.”
Moving to London to pursue a career saw Sam kick start his health and fitness journey, which built up to him running marathons and eventually ultramarathons, which has now seen him travel the world to do.
Sam has completed a marathon or an ultra in over 15 countries including Morocco, Finland and up and around Mount Kilimanjaro in Tanzania, with his favourite taking place in Jordan – a 250-kilometre journey over five days in the desert in 40-degree heat.
He was 18th overall and the first Brit to cross the finish line on the last day when he first did the event in 2022, and went back in 2024 where he placed third overall.
Sam is now an ambassador at Ultra X, who organise multi-day ultras across the world, after meeting Ultra X Co-founders Sam Heward and Jamie Sparks in 2022.
Sam Heward and Jamie Sparks said: “Sam made a mark on Ultra X Jordan and ever since has been a big member of our community.
“It’s incredible to see him now taking on Project 74 with the same determination and spirit, using his challenge to make a real difference for Headway and everyone affected by brain injury.
“We can't wait to be a part of the journey."
Helen Craig, Fundraising Manager at Headway UK, said: "We are immensely grateful for Sam’s dedication and efforts in taking on this huge challenge for Headway.
"One ultramarathon is no mean feat, let alone 74 consecutively! We'll be cheering Sam on every step of the way.
“Every pound raised helps us continue to improve life after brain injury.”
Sam added: “I can’t stress enough how incredible my mum is. She’s the most selfless person I've ever met. She'll spend almost every day cooking for people and doing things for the local community.
“She's always been my best friend in the whole world.
“I’ve seen first-hand how difficult it is when a loved one sustains a brain injury, and how much help people really need.
“Every mile I run is for my mum. And every bit of support will help others like her.”
You can donate to Project 74 here.
Follow Sam's journey on his socials at: @skingruns
