RUSS Winfield survived two suicide bombings in a single day.

But the former Herefordshire police sergeant says that pales beside the challenge he’s preparing for.

Right now, Russ is waiting on a final response from Guinness over his bid to break the world record for running consecutive marathons - which presently stands at an unofficial 53.

Russ is making each marathon personal, running for Macmillan nurses and Great Ormond Street Hospital (GOSH) – two causes he has direct experience of.

Those marathons make up “Around the grounds in 80 days” to reach every football league ground in the country.

Russ will get to all 92 grounds running a marathon over each of the 80 days – a total of more than 2,100 miles around Britain.

The bid is set to start on Saturday, August 15, at Swansea City’s Liberty stadium football and end at Loftus Road, home of Queen’s Park Rangers on Tuesday, November 3.

“All the football clubs in the league have been previously contacted and with the new season fast approaching have to be re contacted to provide them with the schedule of the run,” said Russ.

So far, around half have responded and invited Russ into the ground.

Others have agreed to personal meetings with staff and mementos to auction off at the end of the run.

Russ was a police officer for 30 years – 20 of them in Herefordshire.

Ten years ago, the Hereford Times reported on how he survived two suicide bombings in a single day while on secondment training police recruits in Iraq.

Fourteen of his colleagues and cadets died in the double bombing at Zubayr police academy, near Basra, in 2004.

Now, he’s made a new life for himself in the West Midlands – in the knowledge of how precious life can be.

He’s a part-time “postie” now and will take four months of unpaid leave to make his record bid.

It’s been 18 years since Russ lost his brother, father, mother and elder sister within a twelve month period.

His mother died from cancer a mere three months after her diagnosis.

That inspired Russ to run the London marathon and raise funds for Macmillan nurses.

“It was Macmillan nurses that supported me through an extremely difficult time which unbeknown to me would get worse,” says Russ.

Three years ago this November. Russ was grand-dad to Indy.

Within three months of being born, Indy was diagnosed with a rare heart disease that, to date, has seen him face two major operations at GOSH.

“He still has to regularly visit GOSH and there are no doubt further visits and possibly two further operations,” says Russ.

And that’s what drives Russ on, his training routine consisting of a completed postal round followed up with “the odd” six to ten mile run.

Sundays are saved for a half marathon to 20 mile run just to keep the momentum going.

“I’m not being naive to the extremity of the physical and mental challenges ahead. I have prepared for this challenge and am confident that I can finish, and, by doing so, support to my chosen charities,” he says.

Russ can be followed on his Facebook page “Around the grounds in 80 days”, his Twitter page @russell_indy and his 'just giving pages' are linked for the chosen charities https://www.justgiving.com/Russell-Winfield2 and https://www.justgiving.com/Russell-Winfield1