ULTRA marathon runner Paul Foster could only manage 90 minutes of sleep on Friday night.

Yet the IT worker at Scottish Borders Housing Association in Selkirk still completed the epic 68-miles Borders Abbey Way the following day.

Despite taking a few wrong turns, adding more than two miles onto the distance, and suffering a few blisters Paul completed the gruelling, circular route in 16 hours 38 minutes and five seconds.

The heat also hindered the Hawick athlete as he raised money for Cancer Research UK.

Paul told us: “It was an extremely hot day and I’d only managed to sleep for about one and a half hours before my alarm went off at 2.45am.

“It was meant to be 68 miles, but I missed a few turns and had to back track a few times, so I ended up doing over 70.

“The support from friends, family and even complete strangers on the way round was amazing and really helped to keep me going and hearing the cha-chings from the Just Giving app on my phone as donations were coming in was a real motivator to keep moving.” Paul started from histopric battle site of Hornshole near Hawick at 4am.

By 4.30am, after leaving the roads behind in the hills between Hawick and Ashkirk, his feet were soaked through by early morning dew. And the dampness soon led to a few blisters.

Paul ran through Selkirk and onto Melrose as the heat gradually increased with the mid morning sun.

And he later allowed himself a 15 minute break and a sock change after completing 45 miles when he reached Kelso later in the afternoon.

Paul plodded on through Jedburgh and finally reached the finishing line at Hornshole just after 8.30pm.

His 39-year-old partner, Elaine Elliott, and their children, Olivia, Niamh and Callum were waiting for him as he took his final steps.

He has so far raised over £1300 for Love Life Hawick in aid of Cancer Research UK. And the total is likely to increase as his workmates lend their support at SBHA.

Paul added: “So far the total raised is about £1300 and SBHA where I work are planning to hold a dress down day and a cake bake sale to raise a bit more.

“I only started collecting prizes and sponsorship two weeks before the run, but the response was incredible.

“Jock Reids Bar in Hawick donated a bottle of Champagne, Lyle & Scott gave a Polo Shirt and a ladies bag, Shorts of Hawick gave a cashmere scarf and Peter Scott donated a gent’s woollen jumper. It was a long hard day, but a great one and I’m chuffed to bits that I did it.” All the money raised will go to Love Life Hawick in aid of Cancer Research UK. Donations can still be made through Just Giving at www.justgiving.com/BAW.