ACCOUNTANT Shaun Mooney is no doubt hoping his running career goes better than his footballing career.

Because the 30-years-old who works for Bishop Fleming in College Yard, Worcester, has decided to run the Paris Marathon on Sunday having barely recovered from the latest in a line of mishaps on the soccer pitch.

"My mum thinks I am mad for even contemplating doing it," he said. "Because I have just recovered from a double break in my right fibula and right ankle, which I believe is called a Fischer C fracture, for which I had to have two operations and only started walking properly again in October. Historically I have also broken my left ankle and had three right knee arthroscopies for damaged knee cartilage. Due to all of these the marathon is not something I should be doing, but I like a challenge.

"Training has been difficult, often 30 plus miles a week, split over two or three runs. The longest was 24 miles and it’s surprising how much of Worcester you have to cover to rack up that mileage. On a 19 mile run along the Worcester-Droitwich and then Worcester-Birmingham canals my knee gave way and I had to be picked up by my father in law and rest from running for a couple of weeks. My training was also interrupted by my honeymoon to Whistler and Vancouver."

Mr Mooney, who lives in St John's, went to Nunnery Wood High School and then Worcester Sixth Form College. He graduated from the University of Worcester with a BA (Hons) in business management and passed his accounts exams in 2012. He previously worked for John Yelland & Company in Worcester and then joined Bishop Fleming, where he works as audit executive.

Mr Mooney is running the marathon with his wife Emily Mooney and brother in law Nigel Dexter. He aims to finish in less than 4 hours and is raising money for Worcester charity the Association for Physical Education.