Olly Murs Reaches Penultimate Day in Soccer Aid Challenge

Olly Murs completed the penultimate day of his soccer aid Into The Unknown Challenge on Thursday, his 42nd birthday, after a 50-mile push from Nether Heyford in Northamptonshire to St Albans in Hertfordshire. By then, the five-day effort had raised more than £610,000 for children’s charity Unicef.

Murs on 42nd birthday

The day mixed rowing, cycling and running across a route that took him from Nether Heyford to Stoke Bruerne, then through Buckinghamshire and Bedfordshire before a final run from Redbourn to St Albans. Murs said, "It's been brutal today. My quad is so sore... I can't believe this is how I'm celebrating my 42nd birthday – something I'll never forget!"

Local runners joined him on his final approach to St Albans Cathedral, and he called them a "huge boost". After that stretch, he added, "Nothing but respect for those guys. Thank you so much. I really needed that."

Mark Wright and Adam Gemili

Support also came on Thursday afternoon from Mark Wright, who joined him for a cycle stint, and Adam Gemili, who ran alongside him. Murs had not been told what to expect from each day’s route until just before the start, which kept the challenge changing as the miles built up.

The five-day effort is part of Soccer Aid’s 20th anniversary and ends at the London Stadium on Friday, with Murs set to cover about 250 miles overall. He will also chronicle the journey in a documentary on ITV on 29 May, giving the challenge a final public record after the finish line in Stratford.