Jedburgh's Chris Laidlaw now three-quarters way through 12-marathon challenge for charities

The former Boroughmuir and Scotland club international stand-off is doing those 12 26-mile runs in 12 months to raise funds for the Murrayfield Injured Players’ Foundation, Marie Curie and Alzheimer’s Scotland.

His ninth marathon, in East Lothian, was a return to familiar territory for Laidlaw, now living in Edinburgh, as he used to work at Dunbar Rugby Club as their development officer and that’s where he ended up after setting out from Fisherrow Harbour in Musselburgh.

The former Jed-Forest player, son of Scottish rugby legend Roy Laidlaw, said: “The marathons don’t get any easier.About 30km or three hours into it, it really begins to get to you.

“It was great to be back in Dunbar. I had three great years there as development officer and, once again, I found the experience very humbling.

“I found people that I don’t really know connecting to the challenge, whether it was chucking money into the pot or coming out and running alongside me.”

Laidlaw, now a coach at the Scottish Rugby Academy, has raised almost £17,500 so far and he has three more marathons to go to complete his fundraising challenge.

To make a donation, go to www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/12in12in21

Laidlaw picked the foundation and Alzheimer’s Scotland to thank them for the support they’ve given to his father and Marie Curie in gratitude for helping his late mother Joy.