A man who set out to run 12 marathons in 12 months completed his challenge three months early, so tackled an extra five.

Jon Moreton, from Chatham, ran his first marathon in London in 2015, and decided to keep training after getting the post-marathon blues.

The 38-year-old said: “It started off as a 12 in 12 challenge and I booked three extras just in case it got to the point where I couldn’t finish one.

“A lot of it is in the head. You have to get it right in your head to get your body to do what you want it to do.”

The father-of-three started 2016 with a 26.2-mile trail run at Ranscombe Park followed by the Chocathon Challenge at Betteshanger Country Park.

His list also includes the Valentine’s Day Challenge at Gravesend Cyclopark, the Brighton Marathon in April, the Kent Roadrunner in May, The Punk Run in August, where he was joined by his parents Sue and Chris, and the Kent Coyote in September, when he ran a personal best.

The year continued with The Tolkien Challenge at Samphire Hoe in September, for part of which he ran dressed as Gandalf, The Battle of the Somme and the Saxon Shore Marathon in November, and finally The Usual Suspects Challenge at Samphire Hoe in December.

Jon kept a blog detailing his progress called Bragging Rights and Bling.

He said: “These last months have seen me being called crazy, a machine, the Marathon Man and even inspirational.

“I’ll take all of those names, they seem to fit right now. How long they’ll last, though, I just don’t know. But the bragging rights that I’ve earned and the bling that I own, well, they’ll be with me forever.”

The father-of-three joined the Rebel Runners Medway and hasn’t looked back since.

He said: “I couldn’t do 5k but people see that it’s possible and its inspired other people to do it too.

“My family can see me changing for the better and they come out running with me. My mum and dad are Rebels too, and the boys really look up to me now.”