Meet the man behind the Kenilworth Custard Corner Marathon
You've probably heard of Kenilworth's brightly painted 'Custard Corner' on Station Road.
But have you heard about the man who is planning to run a full marathon around it?
Ian Beasley has set himself the unusual challenge of completing the full 26.2-mile marathon distance, entirely around Custard Corner, on Saturday 21 June.
The aim behind the run is to raise funds for the Samaritans, a charity close to Ian's heart after he lost his best friend to suicide in February last year.
Speaking of the cause, Ian said: "If we save one life out of this, then isn't that an amazing thing?
"It's okay to be emotional as a middle-aged bloke.
"All of these taboos from my generation, it's about breaking down those barriers."
Ian, who has been running since 2016, recently completed the London Marathon, raising funds for the Samaritans.
But this time, he wanted to do something a little more unique, to highlight the cause.
"Every man and his dog is running a marathon for something; it is not an easy challenge, but it's not different enough," said Ian.
Like many locals, he was intrigued by the buzz around Custard Corner, a once-ordinary area now painted a striking yellow.
Since the makeover, the spot has drawn national media attention and controversy, with locals describing it as "vile," "nauseating," and "overpowering."
"I enjoyed the fact that there was a bit of a buzz around something quite ridiculous.
"I feel like, although there was a bit of an outcry from Kenilworth residents, I think over time, they'll come to cherish Custard Corner," said Ian.
The inspiration behind the Custard Corner marathon struck Ian unexpectedly while he was in the bath.
"You just have one of those moments, it was just an epiphany, where I thought, let's do something crazy!
"I think if something is a little bit wacky, it captures the interest," he explained.
After his epiphany, Ian "dived out of the bath," grabbed a tape measure, and ran into town to assess the corner's dimensions.
That same day, he flew to France to visit his daughter, where he continued to mull over the idea.
"As soon as I landed back in Birmingham, I went straight to Ashley at Morning Sunshine coffee and said 'I've got this crazy idea, what do you think?' and he just said, 'Yep, we'll give you 10 percent of our takings on the day. How does that sound?'"
Support quickly grew, and other businesses followed suit, including Pomeroys, which also said it would give Ian 10 percent of its takings on the day and House of Beauty, which offered him a massage, post-run.
Five buskers, including Tony Sweet, are lined up to perform at the event, with Tony's song about Custard Corner likely to be sung on the day.
Ian noted: "People are just really happy to chip in and do what they can to support, which is really nice.
"I've had loads of donations from people I've never met."
Some donations have even been anonymous, with contributions of up to £100.
"It's very generous, but I'd like to know their names so I can thank them", Ian added.
Discussing his training, he said: "I did a half marathon yesterday just to train, and I've done 10 miles a week, and did five miles the week before that.
"I've noticed now people know what I'm doing.
"I think when I did the first five-mile run, a couple of weeks ago, everyone just thought I was a slightly crazy guy.
"But now people clap and they're wishing me the best of luck and say 'we'll see you on the day'".
However, training around the reduced space of Custard Corner does come with its challenges.
Ian's GPS watch often loses signal, incorrectly recording him as stationary, meaning he has now extended his path slightly.
He also has to watch out for pedestrians, delivery vans, and bin lorries passing by.
Surprisingly, Ian hasn't experienced dizziness from the repetitive loops, though boredom does occasionally set in.
Fortunately, support from the community helps him stay motivated, with locals cheering him on, chatting with him over their coffee, and even handing him water as he runs.
As for how long the marathon might take on the day, Ian replied: "I think around five or five and a half hours.
"It took me two and a half hours yesterday to do a half marathon, so I think it'll be double that and then add on a bit because I just got slower and slower.
"It's also looking to be pretty hot a week on Saturday, so that will slow me down.
"But it's a run, not a race, it's an experience, and I'll just keep going until it's done, even if I have to do it on my hands and knees."
Reflecting on how he initially anticipated the idea would be received, Ian admitted he thought it could go one of two ways: either people would get on board, or they'd think it was ridiculous.
To his delight, the response has been very positive.
"The magnitude of the response was quite unexpected," he said.
Ian had wondered whether he might face criticism or be told he couldn't use the area because it's a public right of way.
However, he said that so far, he hadn't experienced any negativity.
He added that the only minor friction had been one slightly negative comment and the occasional tut from passers-by when they briefly crossed paths during his training runs.
On the day, Ian will be joined by 26 runners from the Kenilworth running club, which he has been a part of since 2018.
Each runner will run a mile alongside Ian.
To show her support, Ian's daughter will be running a mile with him virtually via FaceTime.
And she isn't the only one to do so.
Someone from the Isle of Wight and a man in Las Vegas will also be running a mile remotely in solidarity.
Ian's fundraising target is £10,000, and he has already reached approximately £5,500.
"I think everyone's got a connection to mental health.
"I felt like I needed a focus, and I wanted that focus to be positive.
"I wanted it to be his legacy."
His current fundraising pot is being built on from his London Marathon effort earlier this year.
One significant donation came from someone he met through running, but didn't know extremely well.
"I gave him a call and said, 'Did you put the decimal point in the wrong place?' and he said, 'No. Had it not been for the Samaritans, then I wouldn't be here now,' and that has really stuck with me."
Ian continued: "When I think about the £5,500 raised so far within the Samaritans, that goes a long way because, relative to other charities, their overheads are quite low.
"I feel like every pound has some power and some cut through."
He added that this feels more like a beginning than an end.
Acknowledging that the challenge of the marathon still lies ahead, Ian concluded: "I feel I've already got ideas for what I might want to do in the future to just build upon the idea, the concept."
To donate to Ian's fundraiser, visit his JustGiving page here.
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