FOR MOST runners, taking on the other competitors in a race is tough enough.

But one gym owner is going a step further by challenging hundreds of opponents who will have the added advantage of being on a horse.

Tom Alden, of Wootton near Abingdon, will be taking on the special Man Versus Horse 22-mile challenge in Wales with a group of runners from his business, TLA Fitness in Sunningwell.

The 34-year-old will face off against hundreds of competitors on Saturday in Llanwrtyd Wells, in the event which started out as a bet in the 1980s over whether a man could beat a horse over a certain distance and has grown into an iconic annual race.

The group of 25 will be raising money for Kidlington-based respite charity ROSY.

Mr Alden, a former Royal Marine, said: “Man Versus Horse is now such a big and iconic event with probably between 1,000 and 1,500 runners taking part. The runners basically start off in a small market square and about 10 minutes later about 400 horses and riders will set off.

“I had been introduced to the event but following the opening of the TLA Fitness studio [2008] I decided I wanted to make a weekend of it and take a dozen people to Wales and experience something a bit different.”

Mr Alden has taken on the mountainous terrain twice before with a team from the Oxfordshire gym and hopes to better his best time of three hours three minutes by going sub three hours this time around.

Five team runners will tackle the challenge by running the route themselves and the rest will team up in trios to run as a relay.

He said: “The general feeling at the moment is excitement as it is such an iconic race.”

The team will set off at about 11am from the Welsh market town and attempt to beat the first horse and rider and win the £2,000 prize.

Mr Alden, whose family own Meatmaster in Osney Mead, became an ambassador for ROSY in April.

He said: “My family has always supported ROSY in a big way and since opening TLA Fitness I have done many events over about eight years for ROSY. I admire the work it does providing respite care for so many families as well as providing essential equipment for people in need.”

p To donate to his challenge, visit http://bit.ly/2s4ALDo