A retired British teacher is days away from closing the book on one of the most quietly extraordinary personal challenges in amateur running history.
Jon Strong, 60, has spent the last 12 years racing his way through the alphabet — one marathon per letter — and he’s down to the very last one.
But getting to this finish line hasn’t been as simple as lacing up his shoes.
The letter “J” turned out to be the most stubborn obstacle of all — and the reason why comes down to ferry schedules, a lifelong commitment to the environment, and three decades spent shaping young minds in a Newcastle classroom.
Jump to:
Twenty-Five Marathons Down, One Letter to Go
Strong launched his A-to-Z marathon challenge back in 2014, setting himself the goal of completing a marathon in a location beginning with each letter of the alphabet.
Over the years, he’s racked up 25 races — some in iconic cities, others in far more surprising places.
If you want something simple that actually works, this is one of the most effective tools I’ve used to build strength, conditioning, and endurance without needing a full gym setup.
- Full-body training with one weight using swings, squats, and presses
- Solid cast iron build that feels stable and lasts for years
- Comfortable grip that makes high-rep workouts easier to handle
Venice. Rotterdam. And yes, even the X-ray Marathon in Germany made the list. Because when you’re committed to the alphabet, you make it work.
The challenge has provided a great reason to go to 26 places I wouldn’t have necessarily visited otherwise.
Twenty-five letters checked off. One remained — and “J” proved to be an unexpectedly stubborn final boss.
Why “J” Almost Beat Him
Strong doesn’t fly. It’s a personal commitment rooted in environmental values, and it’s one he’s held firm on throughout the entire challenge.
That ruled out more options than you might expect.
I try not to fly, so the only other possible marathon beginning with J was the Jungfrau Marathon in Switzerland, which is uphill all the way.
The Jersey Marathon was always the dream option — but reaching the island requires a ferry crossing, and ferry schedules simply didn’t cooperate with the demands of a full-time teaching career.
I’ve known about the Jersey Marathon for ages, but because of the ferry schedules, there was no way to get there and back for Monday morning school.
So for years, the challenge sat incomplete. Twenty-five letters ticked. One frustratingly out of reach.
If you want something simple that actually works, this is one of the most effective tools I’ve used to build strength, conditioning, and endurance without needing a full gym setup.
- Full-body training with one weight using swings, squats, and presses
- Solid cast iron build that feels stable and lasts for years
- Comfortable grip that makes high-rep workouts easier to handle
Retirement Changed Everything
After 28 years at Dame Allan’s School in Newcastle — where he served as head of modern languages — Strong finally hung up his teaching hat at the end of the summer term.
Before Dame Allan’s, he’d taught at two of England’s most prestigious schools: Harrow and Westminster, both in London. A University of Cambridge graduate, his career was nothing short of remarkable.
He even had the rare experience of teaching his own children at Dame Allan’s — something he counts among his career highlights. Thousands of training laps on the school’s playing fields also made the memories list.
But retirement meant the ferry schedule was no longer the enemy. On October 4th, Strong will line up at the Jersey Marathon — and finally complete what he started in 2014.
More Than Just a Race
The Jersey Marathon is shaping up to be a significant event in its own right, with more than 2,000 participants expected to take part alongside Strong.
The event features the main marathon, a relay race option, and a marathon mile run — meaning there’s something on the starting line for runners of every level.
If you want something simple that actually works, this is one of the most effective tools I’ve used to build strength, conditioning, and endurance without needing a full gym setup.
- Full-body training with one weight using swings, squats, and presses
- Solid cast iron build that feels stable and lasts for years
- Comfortable grip that makes high-rep workouts easier to handle
For Strong, though, the personal stakes couldn’t be higher. Twelve years. Twenty-six locations. A self-imposed rule about air travel that made the whole thing considerably harder than it needed to be.
And yet — that’s exactly what makes it worth celebrating.
When he crosses that finish line on Jersey, it won’t just be a marathon completed. It’ll be a 12-year story finally reaching its last page.
