Athlete with autism to run Manchester Marathon as part of historic triathlon attempt

A man with autism who is planning on running the Manchester Marathon this weekend also has his eyes set on becoming the first openly autistic triathlete to complete a full Ironman later this year.

Sam Holness, 29, is set to take on the country’s best runners at the 26.2-mile marathon event this Sunday (April 2), which runs through Manchester and into Trafford. He hopes to complete the marathon run within three hours.

Sam, who hails from Kingston in London, said the Manchester Marathon forms part of his preparation to become the first openly autistic triathlete to complete a 2.4 mile swim, a 112-mile bike and a full marathon as part of the Ironman tournament.

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With the marathon also taking place around Autism Awareness Day, Sam says running in Manchester is an opportunity for him to raise awareness of autism. “I love to run,” Sam said. “But the Manchester Marathon is going to be a bit special for me.

“As the marathon falls the day after Autism Awareness Day, I have a responsibility to try extra hard. I am running it for all the autistic people out there who feel like they can’t do it. I want to show them what is possible.”

Around 13,000 runners are expected to take part in the Manchester Marathon this weekend. If Sam achieves his goal of finishing within three hours, he is likely to place in the top 3% of finishers based on last year’s results.

Following the marathon, Sam will be flying to Frankfurt in June for the full Ironman event. He hopes that by completing the Ironman, he will be able to inspire those with autism to take up sport and achieve their goals.

“I want to show people that my autism doesn’t affect my sport,”