A SOUTHAMPTON pensioner is set to push his body to the limit by running more than 26 miles next month.

Roger Bradley, 73, of Tilbrook Road in Regents Park, is the oldest participant of this year's Southampton ABP Marathon.

The grandad-of-six has been training three times a week for the challenge, sometime running up to 20 miles in one go.

Despite his age, Roger has shrugged off any injury concerns and said he is raring to go.

"I have run more than 100 marathons in my lifetime," he said.

"I am not over-confident though. I am aiming to finish the run in around five hours."

Roger, a retired special constable for Hampshire Constabulary, was inspired to take up running when he marshalled one of the original Southampton marathons as a 42-year-old.

However, in a cruel twist, the marathon ceased running shortly after he decided he would like to take part in it, but that did not dampen his desire to run.

After joining the Lordshill Road Runners, Roger took on his first big run - the New Forest Marathon - in September 1984.

Since then, he has run 129 more marathons, including ones staged in Paris, Rome and Barcelona.

Now, 30 years on, Roger has a chance to take on the Southampton run again - and he thinks it will be his last road marathon.

"I'm getting too old for it now," he said. "However, I will take part in off-road marathons.

"It is great to be running my last road marathon in a city I was born and bred in.

"It's a lovely way to finish my running career, which I have enjoyed thoroughly."

The ABP marathon, half marathon and 10k run will take place in Southampton on April 23.

Roger will be running the marathon to raise funds for The Mankind Initiative, a charity which helps men who are suffering from domestic abuse.

He is accepting online sponsorship at uk.virginmoneygiving.com/MemoryofMark