A SALTCOATS boy has completed his solo marathon effort as he raised funds in honour of a late family member.
And it was Devin Cameron's Papa, cited as the "main figure" in his life, who inspired him to battle through each of the gruelling steps in his 26.2 miles effort.
The Herald first reported back in February how Devin planned to run a marathon, which he will orgainse and run off of his own back, to raise funds after recently losing his Papa, who had lived with cancer for six years.
He had set a modest goal of £500, with the total raised to be split 80/20 between Prostate Cancer UK and Devin's own gym, the IMC Project.
Though when he returned to the Three Towns, ending his run where it began, he done so knowing he had smashed that total out the park.
The Saltcoats boy raised a total of £1,114.29 through his efforts, with £891.41 going to Prostate Cancer UK and £222.86 going to the IMC Project.
But there was a lot more meaning behind Devin's run than the raising of funds.
He was also looking to inspire and use his grief to give back and be productive during a time when it would have been easy to go the other way.
He said: "I hope I have inspired people doing this, you really can do anything you want, it doesn't matter your background or limitations.
"If you knew me in school - I was the last person you'd expect to run a marathon.
"I even struggled doing cross-country and quit halfway through, to the distaste of my PE teacher.
"I've had people come up to me, telling me of how they've started running, dieting or working out after my posts.
"It's unreal to be honest, I'm just a Saltcoats boy trying to do well for myself and do my family proud."
And so proud they would have been on Friday, May 12, when his fundraising efforts come to a climax.
Devin woke up at 6.30am that morning, had a coffee two cheese rolls - "Kandy Bar Rolls obviously," he assured the Herald, and prepared to get on his way.
"I prepped myself mentally thinking 'what the big deal, my Papa went through more than what I’m about to endure'", he told the Herald.
Soon he was on his way, meeting with his firends Anton and Ashton who joined him for the first 3.1 miles of his journey.
Later, Devin would meet IMC Project founder Jim Montgomerie and Devin's uncle, aunties, Gran and cousins who all came out to cheer him on.
The Saltcoats man then told of his rollercoaster of emotions as he continued on his journey up the coast towards Largs and back.
He said: "The run went fine for the first 15 miles or so, I was buzzing, I ran up the coast and around Hunterston Castle before meeting back onto the main road towards Largs.
"I remember thinking to myself 'this is easy, I’ll do this no bother' - almost foreshadowing what was to come.
"I hit the halfway point of 13.1 miles with Camisra’s hit house classic 'Let me Show You' blasting and turnt around just after I hit the sign for Kelburn Garden Park."
It was as he approached his final few miles that he began to waver.
He was cheered on along the way by his friends Fraser, who brought much needed Mars Bars and water, Jim Montogmerie once again and one of his boxing coaches David as they looked to drive Devin on towards the finishing line - which he crossed in under four hours.
Devin continued: "The rest of the run was brutal, the last six miles or so felt they’d never end honestly.
"I slogged through these and a terrible cramp that felt as though I’d torn a tendon till I saw the finish line.
"What a sense of relief it was, I’d ran my Papa’s marathon and smashed it."
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