If the thought of running 26.2 miles doesn’t seem like a challenge in itself, how about running a full marathon in a life-size Buzz Lightyear costume? Hold that thought as we meet our fundraising hero, Jay Watt, an ambulance technician who lives in Edinburgh with his wife and two boys, Cory (14) and Zack (8). Jay has been taking part in the Edinburgh Marathon Festival (EMF) for charity in costume since 2011, and after the amazing efforts of Buzz LightYard and his team in EMF 2017, we are delighted he has decided to run the 2018 marathon for The Yard again. And we love his 2018 costume idea...

"I decided to run for The Yard because, not only is it a fantastic place for kids to play and express themselves in a non-judgemental environment, but also both my children have Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and they love going to The Yard.

“When I ran as Buzz LightYard last year, it was very hot and quite fatiguing to say the least. The marathon in itself is a challenge, but to add a huge mascot costume into the mix takes it up to a new level.

"I always get a boost from the crowd on the day with all the cheering and good luck wishes; this helps give me that drive to finish. I love seeing all the smiles on the kids' faces when they see a big bungling character waving at them as he goes by. It is great finishing knowing that any money raised is going to a superb cause!

"This year’s mascot is 'Run-It Ralf' based on the Disney character Wreck-It Ralph. When I look for my next mascot costume, I look for one that is big and bold, but most importantly fun, and something that will catch people’s attention.

"I think this year it is going to be just as tough; the costume is going to be very hot inside again with limited vision, which will be a challenge, but if it was easy then everyone would do it lol!"

#RunItRalf and his team are just a few of our amazing The Yard runners fundraising for us during the Edinburgh Marathon Festival on 26-27 May. There are still places available if you would like to run for The Yard. To sign up, visit our event page or email our fundraising team today!