Laidlaw completes 12 in 12

Scotland club international stand-off Chris Laidlaw completed his epic 12 in 12 marathon challenge for charity this afternoon.

Laidlaw, 31, who set out on running one marathon each month in 2021 on New Year’s Day, finished his selfless mission on Hogmanay, smashing his fund-raising target which was initially £12,000.

By 3pm today he’d topped £23,000.

The money is being shared between three charities which mean a lot to Chris: the Murrayfield Injured Players Foundation; Marie Curie; and Alzheimer’s Scotland.

Watched by wife Alanah, children Struan, 3 and one-year-old Ivy, his dad the former Scotland and Lions scrum-half Roy Laidlaw, and a host of family and friends from Jed-Forest, Boroughmuir and Dunbar Rugby Clubs, Chris set out from Meggetland on a route which would take him into Edinburgh City Centre via the Union Canal.

He then headed out towards Ratho before retracing his steps and looping back to Meggetland where he was given a rousing welcome by former Boroughmuir team-mates Johnny Matthews and Archie Russell among many others.

Chris jogs along the Union Canal supported by his son, Struan, running alongside him.

“It was tough today, just over five hours,” Laidlaw, a Scottish Rugby Academy coach, said. “Knowing it was the last one and just really wanting to get to the finish made it emotional and hard.

“The support today, like all the other marathons, has been unbelievable. I don’t think I would have been able to get through it without that support, so to those who ran alongside me, part of the way, or cycled, or just popped up to cheer me on, a huge thank you.”

Among those who ran with Chris today were Scottish Rugby’s welfare manager Stuart Dow, who completed his first marathon, while referee Hollie Davidson and Scotland women’s stand-off Helen Nelson joined the runners on the last section from Edinburgh’s Meadows to Meggetland.

Chris added: “There’s a hot tub with my name on it that I’m desperate to get to now!

“Would I do any more marathons? No, not at this stage. Marathons are definitely off the script.

“But what I do take from this is that when you have such a purpose, a higher purpose, to do something, then you can pretty much do anything with the right support network.”

Last word to dad Roy, who could not resist in joining in at stages along the route.

“I’m proud of him. He’s done really well, and it’s been great to see the support he’s had too.”

If you would like to donate to 12 in 12 you can do so via Chris’s Just Giving page: https://www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/12in12in21