Staff profile: Patrick Asher-Relf Marathon Man

Patrick has been working at Treloar’s for over a year as a Student Support Assistant. He is also a former student and our very own marathon man on a mission. He’s currently in training with his best mate Carl to compete in the 2022 London Marathon. His goal is to break the Guinness World Record for the fastest unassisted time in a non-racing wheelchair under 3 hours 18 minutes!

What do you enjoy about working at Treloar’s?

I enjoy the atmosphere of the place and to see the students grow in confidence over the year is really rewarding. As a classroom support assistant I get to witness first-hand how the students arrive in September, when they are quiet and shy, and by the summer they’ve grown confident in themselves, which is amazing.

What advice would you give to current students?

You can achieve anything when you set your mind to it and back yourself!

How did you get involved in marathons?

It all started in lockdown when I found an accessible 11k cycle route, I did it every day for four months and when I started at Treloar’s I missed it. One day when I was on the staff intranet, I saw there was one space left for the Treloar’s marathon team. I thought I would be spontaneous and sign up, giving myself three months to figure everything out.

Who inspires you?

Aaron Phipps, is a British wheelchair rugby player and gold medal-winning paralympian. He is part of the Great Britain national wheelchair rugby team and competed in Wheelchair rugby at the 2012 Summer Paralympics in London, Great Britain and in Wheelchair rugby at the 2020 Summer Paralympics where the team won the final on the 29th August 2021 and received gold medals.

What is the World record you’re hoping to beat?

The record I am hoping to break is the fastest marathon in a non-racing chair, the current record is 3:18.15. I want to prove that you can accomplish whatever you set your mind to. All my life I’ve been told I can’t do certain things because of my cerebral palsy. And that’s why we’re attempting to break a Guinness World Record for the fastest unassisted time in a normal wheelchair under 3 hours 18 minutes!

How can staff and students get involved?

If you’d like to support Patrick and Treloar’s follow his training journey on https://www.facebook.com/watch/wheeliebigmarathon/

Or you can donate to Patrick’s JustGiving page: https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/wheeliebigmarathon.

Or why not join in yourself, we have London Marathon spaces available and  places available in hundreds of community events across the country: https://www.treloar.org.uk/event_type/challenge-event/