Mark founded The Run of Hope to unite people through movement, purpose, and the enduring spirit of freedom.

“I’m just a lad from a small town in Wales. I consider myself equal. In the grand scheme of things, I’m simply grateful to play a small part in the big picture.”

— Mark 7

A Journey of Hope

Mark 7 left school with low confidence.

In the Army, he faced setbacks, including failing his initial fitness test and being voted the fattest in his troop. He overcame those obstacles and went on to become an Army commando. After leaving the military Mark worked as a bodyguard, door supervisor, and personal trainer. Mark also worked as a support worker for individuals with learning difficulties, autism, brain injury, and epilepsy.

He dabbled with a little ultra-endurance by completing the Marathon des Sables in the Sahara Desert and ran from Denver to San Francisco, averaging 27 miles per day. He broke a treadmill distance record and placed 1st in the Strava Distance Challenge in both 2014 and 2015, competing against tens of thousands of participants.

Mark organized the Pembrokeshire 5K Run of Hope, sponsored and supported by Coca-Cola, McDonald’s, Tesco, Nike, Barclays Bank and local sports stars.

He has authored personal development books, produced speaking events in theatres, and interviewed high performers from sport and business to understand the mindset behind success.

Beyond the achievements, Mark’s goal is simple: to encourage more love, kindness, and understanding in the world.

He believes every great thing begins with one bold step forward.