Skip to content

Ultramarathons feat for rugby star who had brain injury

Katie Radleyin Harrogate
News imageKatie Radley/BBC A man in a grey T-shirt, wearing a dark grey cap with green writing and a dark grey running vest, is smiling at the camera and flexing his muscles. Behind him is the interior of a campervan. To the rear is a car park with a fence, the top of a blue building and blue sky with clouds.Katie Radley/BBC
David 'Jacko' Jackson is running 100 ultramarathons in 100 consecutive days

When a brain injury ended David "Jacko" Jackson's professional rugby career in 2013, it changed his life forever. But it did not put him off seeking new challenges - and he has now set his sights on a fundraising world record.

Former Nottingham player David and his wife Catherine had been married for less than two months when he had a seizure on the training field and suffered a bleed on the brain.

The 44-year-old says the first six months post-injury were particularly difficult as he "wasn't the person that she married, it was a very difficult period".

He is attempting to run 100 ultramarathons in 100 consecutive days to raise awareness and funds for two brain injury charities - Headway UK and Head for Change - and hopes to set a record in the process.

Speaking in Harrogate during the Yorkshire leg of his challenge, David says he had a difficult recovery.

"It took a number of months," he says.

"I wasn't making any progress, I wasn't getting any better.

"It took a whole year, really, to get back to getting back on my feet. Initially we were just hoping that you could live a normal life again."

News imageKatie Radley/BBC A man wearing a grey T-shirt, dark-coloured shorts, a dark grey cap with green writing, a dark grey running vest, trainers and green and orange long socks is running towards the camera. He is running on a road in the countryside with grass, hedges and trees behind him.Katie Radley/BBC
Former rugby player David Jackson sustained a brain injury in 2013 which ended his professional playing career

He says he did not know about the brain injury charities during his recovery, when he needed them most.

"We want to change that awareness so that nobody has to go through that on their own, they can use the support of the charities.

"Everyone's brain injury is different and everyone's recovery is going to be different."

David says he feels fortunate to have come so far since his injury.

"We want to try and show people that there can be something positive that comes after a brain injury.

"And just give a little bit of hope for anyone that's in that dark place."

News imageKatie Radley/BBC A woman is sitting in the open door of a campervan, smiling at the camera. On the side of the campervan is a blue poster with a map of Great Britain on it. In front of the campervan, a man is sitting in a camping chair smiling at the camera. There is an empty camping chair on the right hand side. The campervan is parked in a car park. There is a field with sheep behind it.Katie Radley/BBC
David and his wife Catherine will visit 25 locations across the UK over the 100-day challenge, stopping for four days in each

David and Catherine have set aside 100 days to travel to 25 locations across the UK, with Leeds and Sheffield also on the route.

They are spending four days in each, with David running 50km each day, in 10km loops.

Speaking on day 33 of the challenge, David says the toughest part so far was getting injured on day 14, which left him hobbling for 12-and-a-half hours to complete the 50km.

"In all honesty I was ready to give up," he says.

"I genuinely wanted to go home but my wife picked me up and she sort of said if you can walk, if you can take a step, keep going for the charities."

David, whose target is to raise £1m, says he coped with the warm weather by trying to find shade and running with ice packs down his back.

'Truly inspiring'

He says the support they have had has been "amazing", with more than 380 runners joining him for some of his runs.

"The thing that's been almost most inspiring for us and most amazing for us has been the support we've had from people that have come and joined us, hearing their stories - some of them recovering from brain injuries.

"Some of them ran their first ever marathon with us and they were in tears at the end because they'd just never run that far themselves."

News imageKatie Radley/BBC A man wearing a grey T-shirt is smiling at the camera. He is wearing a dark grey cap on backwards. Behind him is a field with sheep in it. In the background are trees, more fields and a telegraph pole.Katie Radley/BBC
David is hoping to raise awareness and funds for two brain injury charities

Catherine, 43, says: "I think I was hoping it was all talk initially but Dave followed through and he thinks big in terms of the total that he's targeted with £1m, and the same with the challenge.

"That for me is inspiring.

"Let's try these things, push the boundaries of where we think we can get to and I guess that part of it might mirror the brain injury that he had.

"He's got to a point where perhaps some people would think that you wouldn't be able to get to, having sustained all those injuries, so I think the bigger message is can we go beyond where we think we can?"

Alix Popham, co-founder of Head for Change, says: "This is an unbelievable challenge, and full credit to Jacko for taking it on.

"Both charities are here to support people affected by brain injury, and that's what it's all about.

"Wishing him the very best of luck as he completes this incredible journey."

Helen Craig, fundraising manager at Headway UK, adds: "Jacko has first-hand experience of the challenges that come from living with a brain injury.

"His determination to turn such a difficult period of his life into something so positive is truly inspiring."

Listen to highlights from North Yorkshire on BBC Sounds, catch up with the latest episode of Look North.

More stories like this