Man carried 100lb pack in 100km charitable walk

"No matter how long it was going to take I was prepared to keep plodding on," said Emmet Meehan on walking 100km (62 miles) for charity.

The 23-year-old Exeter University graduate carried 100lb (45kg), a weight equivalent to a small fridge, on his back to raise money for mental health charity YoungMinds.

Mr Meehan, who completed his Masters in Sports Management in 2024, said the trek from Henley-upon-Thames to Hammersmith bridge took less than 25 hours to complete.

"Initially I felt like I had been hit by multiple buses but I'm feeling pretty good now," he said.

The former student, who spent four years studying in Exeter, set off on the walk at about 08:30 GMT on 31 December.

"The plan was to do it within 30 hours," he said.

"I finished on New Year's Day at 09:30.

"It took, in the end, 24 hours, 59 minutes and 30 seconds, which is important to me."

Mr Meehan said he carried the weight, equivalent to a "display fridge", on his back.

He said the challenge was "hard" and he ended up getting hypothermia and Rhabdomyolysis, an injury involving the breakdown of muscle.

"It was really tough. I was never going to quit, it was about trusting the small steps.

"I'm well fed, well rested, it's just a slow process recovery."

Mr Meehan said he chose to raise money for YoungMinds, a charity which supports young people with their mental health.

He said the weight was representative of the heavy burden some people carry.

Mr Meehan said: "I thought young people may be able to look at what I did and think 'yeah, maybe it's a good idea to reach out for help'.

"It's just that message of not giving up."

His walk has raised more than £1,600, exceeding his target of £1,000.

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