Martin Sharp Featured in The York Press | Discussing The Build Up To His First Ultra Marathon

When I first started running in February 2024, I never imagined it would lead here.

At the time, the goal was simple. I wanted to support my wife as she prepared for the York 10K. I was not setting out to become a runner. I was helping someone I love take the first step toward their goal.

But as so often happens in life, one small step became another. What started as a challenge of support soon became a journey of personal transformation. Now, as I approach my 50th birthday, I’m preparing to take on a 50km ultramarathon.

For me, this is about far more than distance. It is about resilience. It is about keeping promises to yourself. It is about stepping out of your comfort zone, discovering that the limits you once believed defined you are never as fixed as they seemed.

Running has a way of revealing character. It strips things back. There is no hiding from discomfort, doubt, or fatigue. But there is also clarity in that process. You learn that progress rarely comes from one giant leap. It comes from showing up again and again, especially on the days when it would be easier not to.

That mindset has shaped so much of my life and work. I’ve long believed that success, whether in business, health, or personal growth, is built through consistent action, honest leadership and a willingness to stretch beyond what feels comfortable. This challenge feels like a physical expression of my business mentality.

Last year was full of milestones I never expected when I laced up my trainers for those early runs. In 2025, I completed three marathons in two weeks while fundraising for Teenage Cancer Trust. That experience tested me physically and mentally, but it also reminded me how powerful a meaningful challenge can be when it is connected to a cause bigger than yourself. Raising money for Teenage Cancer Trust made every mile matter even more.

This next challenge feels different, but equally significant. There is something symbolic about taking on a 50 ultramarathon at age 50. It marks a moment, a reminder that growth does not have an age limit, that reinvention is always available and It is never too late to begin.

I know there will be hard moments out on that course. Every meaningful challenge has them. But I also know that hard things have a way of teaching us what comfort never can. As I prepare for this ultramarathon, I’m carrying with me every early morning, every difficult training run, every lesson from the marathons, and every reminder that lasting change begins with a decision to start.

So this is not just about a race, It is about transformation. It is about resilience. It is about doing what once felt impossible. And it is about proving, again, that extraordinary things can grow from the simplest beginnings.

See you at the Ultra Marathon, Saturday 14th March 2026

Big thank you to The Press York for sharing too, here's the link

https://www.yorkpress.co.uk/.../25924133.york-business.../

Huge thanks to the team at Yahoo Sport News for sharing my story from The Press York. You can read it here:

https://uk.sports.yahoo.com/.../york-businessman-taking...

Also, thanks to Luana Ribeira for helping get the message out!

Want more insights about this upcoming race? Check out our latest Fit For Business and Life Podcast episodes