A SPORTS mad dad who aimed to run 90 miles in three consecutive days achieved his goal...and then some.

Gareth Gailey, 47, designed a route that meant he visited the grounds of all the London Premier and Football League clubs, London Premiership rugby clubs, as well as The All England Tennis club in Wimbledon and both cricket test match grounds.

He completed the challenge just two weeks ahead of taking part in this weekend's London Marathon and clocked a total of 97.5 miles - by mistake.

In doing so, he's raised £1,200 and counting for running group Team2gether.

Dad-of-one Gareth, from Colchester, said: "On the first day we went five miles over - we are not sure how entirely, or where!"

Gareth had aimed to run at least 30 miles a day, accompanied by pals for various sections for support.

His epic run kicked off at Wembley Stadium and ended at Twickenham.

Gareth said: "Because it went so strangely well and everything fell into place, it was really enjoyable.

"I anticipated being quite tired at the end of it but even that side was very manageable.

"I was telling myself during the last leg how the plan for this had first come to me at 2am when I was feeding our baby."

Gareth's wife Ruth and one year-old son Ennis backed him all the way, including when he unexpectedly "literally ran into them" outside Chelsea's Stamford Bridge.

Other highlights for Gareth included holding last year's Rugby Union premiership trophy at the Saracens' ground.

He said: "Every club was as helpful as they could possibly be. They all had something different about them, it was really interesting just to see the scale of the larger club stadia and I went to tiny clubs like Hendon who were so happy to have someone interested in them."

Gareth's incentive was to challenge himself beyond the previous marathons and even 62-mile ultra-marathons he completed before and to promote Team2gether, which Gareth founded two years ago.

It is a running group that provides equipment, clothing and training opportunities for those with mental health issues and promotes the benefits of exercise to mental wellbeing.

The Ipswich Town supporter won't be resting for too long as he will be a guide runner for visually impaired Wali Noori at Sunday's London Marathon.

You can still support Gareth at www.goldengiving.com/fundraising/Team2gethergamesetandmatch.