RBrewster

Last updated 01:00, Thursday, 31 May 2007

TEENAGE Cumbrian sports enthusiast Josef Sadowski wasn't content with completing his first ever marathon a fortnight ago.

He promptly signed up for another one, seven days later, as part of his fundraising effort for an Alzheimer's Disease research charity.

Josef, who works in the café at Keswick's Theatre by the Lake, is recovering from his tough marathon running baptism having completed both the Windermere and Edinburgh events in impressive times.

Josef, 19, who lives at Embleton, clocked a healthy 3hr 17mins in the Lake District event and 3hr 28min in Edinburgh on Sunday despite the wind and rain which made conditions for competing extra difficult.

He admitted: “It was tough and I am pleased it's all over.”

Josef normally gets his exercise on the bike and admitted that his first marathon was a painful eye opener.

“I hit the wall at 16 miles and from then on it was pure pain,” he said.

Josef is on a gap year before going to university in Oxford later this year to study physiology and psychology at Hertford College. But his eventual aim is to join the Royal Marines.

The fit youngster swims twice a week and attends ju jitsu classes-and he is also an accomplished artist.

“I love physical and mental tests,” he said. “The reason for wanting to join the Marines is because it offers team work of the sort you don't get in every walk of life.”

The former Keswick School student is working at the local theatre until July to raise some extra cash for his studies.

He is interested in neuro-degenerative diseases and was inspired to raise money for the Alzheimer's charity by a teacher at the school whose husband contracted the disease at an early age.

Josef is hoping that his double marathon effort will raise around £500.