Story By: Juan Mayes, Sub Editor: Joseph Golder, Agency: Golder’s News And Sport

This Spanish triathlon athlete has run 37.9 miles in his living room to “thank all the Spanish health workers for their great work” during the coronavirus “crisis” in Spain.

Spanish athlete Javier Castroverde, 41, created the challenge earlier this week to show his gratitude to professional health workers who are currently treating patients for the coronavirus, officially named COVID-19 by the World Health Organization.

The images show Castroverde during his incredible feat dubbed “Reto061”. ‘Reto’ is Spanish for the challenge.

In one picture Castroverde can be seen posing next to his statistics after his 61-kilometre (37.9-mile) run finished in 10 hours and 15 minutes.

Another picture shows the athlete sitting on the floor while resting his back on a wall drained after running 55.06 kilometres (34 miles) in nine hours as he posted updates on his challenge with his watch, keeping track of his distance, time and pace.

Castroverde admitted the moment was “very difficult” and said: “I am tougher than the walls that I face. I am going to stand up and go after this challenge.

“I have been going from one side to the other for nine hours but it is worse to spend all night in hospital with thousands and thousands of people with the damn virus and no means.

“I am going to do it because it is not a duty, it is an obligation.”

The exact size of his living room is unclear, however, he described his flat as “small” and when speaking with Spanish newspaper ‘Marca’, he said: “In a race, you hit a wall, but you have fresh air, you see people and change scenery.

“I was constantly facing one every four and five metres. That was the real wall.”

Castroverde explained: “the 061 challenge comes from the need of continuing to do sport and to be able to think all the Spanish health professionals for their fantastic work in the crisis that we are facing: COVID-19.

“The telephone number 061 is a reference to the number we dial when we need urgent medical assistance by health workers in a large part of the national territory.

“With barely 4 metres of space, the feat is more challenging.”

Castroverde ended his message with a positive note saying: “Spain is a great country, nothing and no one is going to stop us!!”

The challenge has since inspired other Spanish athletes to participate.

Castroverde is known for obtaining the silver medal in the first Ultraman edition held in Spain.

Ultraman is a three-day-long competition multisport race consisting of 320 miles modelled after the original race, now dubbed ‘Ultraman World Championship’, from the American state of Hawaii. It is held annually.

Castroverde’s next challenge is to participate in the upcoming London Marathon which he hopes to complete in “around two hours and 40 minutes” according to local media.

The London Marathon was set to take place on 26th April however due to the COVID-19 pandemic has since been rescheduled to 4th October.

Spain is one of the countries to be the most-affected by COVID-19 as it has been in a full lock for almost one week to stop the spread of the virus.

There have been a reported 17,147 cases of the virus which have led to 767 deaths.

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