JORDAN ADAMS IS exhausted.

As I speak to him over the phone on Thursday evening, the 30-year-old has just completed his 12th marathon in 12 days, this time around Fermanagh town, after beginning a major running challenge the morning after running the London Marathon on 26 April – with a 25kg fridge strapped to his back.

Jordan and his younger brother Cian, known online as the FTD Brothers, are attempting to run a marathon in every county in Ireland across 32 consecutive days to raise awareness and funds for dementia research and support services.

Speaking from the house of a relative in Leitrim (ahead of another marathon in Sligo the following day), Adams said the scale of the response across Ireland had left him stunned.

“It’s been a very long day,” he said down the phone, sounding drained but upbeat.

Jordan (right) and his brother Cian Adams pictured during the London marathon. Alamy Stock Photo Alamy Stock Photo

“It’s a privilege to be having these kinds of problems in terms of being tired, but the days are very long now because of the amount of press and the way it’s taken off.”

Growing crowds have joined the brothers for each of their long runs in Ireland so far. In Fermanagh this morning, the pair were swamped by a massive crowd before they took off.

“The support that we had in Fermanagh today was just mind-blowing. I’ve never had so many selfies in all of my life,” Adams said.

“It was brilliant, but also draining in terms of the social battery and things like that. But they’re all good problems to have.”

The marathon challenge is deeply personal for Jordan and Cian.

Their mother Geraldine died from frontotemporal dementia (FTD) in March 2016 at the age of 52 after years of decline.

The disease has devastated their wider family for generations; eight of the 13 cousins in Geraldine’s generation developed and later died from the condition.

Jordan and Cian have both tested positive for the inherited gene mutation that causes familial FTD, meaning they have a 99.9% chance of developing the same terminal disease in their 40s.

Despite the devastating diagnosis, the brothers have spent years turning their grief into fundraising and advocacy, raising awareness through endurance challenges while taking part in ongoing medical research.

Jordan pictured during his marathon in Dundalk, Co Louth. Alamy Stock Photo Alamy Stock Photo

Their latest campaign has just surpassed £1 million (€1.16 million) in donations, which was the target of the campaign.

“When you fundraise for as long as we have, for like eight years, you always dream big that one day one of these campaigns is really going to take off,” Adams said.

“We set an original target of £100,000 (€116,000). Obviously we’ve blown way past that. But I’ve always had this belief that maybe one day we could achieve something like this.”

Ultimately, we are on this mission not just for our family and to create a legacy for ourselves, but to be the voice and the light for a lot of people in often bleak situations whilst living with dementia or caring for a loved one.

The brothers say the challenge was inspired partly by their Irish roots.

Their maternal grandfather was from Drumlish in Longford, while their grandmother was born in Leitrim.

Adams says that connection to Ireland faded somewhat after so many family tragedies, but the reception they’ve received over the last 11 days has reignited it.

“We came up with the idea really on the back of going on The Tommy Tiernan Show last year,” he explained.

“We thought we’d love to come home to where all this devastation started and hopefully have an impact on Irish families living with dementia.”

“We’ve always been proud of our Irish roots, but when you grow up in England you can sometimes feel apprehensive talking about that connection. But people here have really connected with the fact that we have a genuine, heartbreaking connection to this place.”

“Loads of people are calling for us to be honorary Irish citizens now,” he laughed.

“But before this challenge even started, we were actually already trying to get our paperwork together to get Irish citizenship.”

Their stop in Leitrim carries particular emotional significance before the brothers continue west into Sligo.

“Her mum was born in Leitrim, and staying here tonight before we go to Sligo feels very poignant,” Adams said.

“We lost that connection for a while, but hopefully this challenge reignites trips back here and reconnecting with family. It’s a very special place.”

Alongside the emotion, there is also the sheer physical punishment.

Adams has somehow managed to keep running despite the cumulative toll on his body after nearly two weeks of marathons.

Still, he insists the mission’s growing impact keeps him moving.

“It really feels like the legacy I’ve wanted to build for a long time is finally starting to happen,” he said.

It’ll all be worth the pain and the tiredness once we get to Dublin.

The challenge has also strengthened the brothers’ relationship.

“There’s a five-year age gap between us, and when I was going into adult life we weren’t living relatable lives,” Adams said.

“I probably wasn’t the greatest role model for him at times when my own life was spiralling with depression and anxiety after mum died.”

Jordan and Cian Adams. GoFundMe GoFundMe

“But I’m incredibly proud of the strength he shows every day. When you go through something like this as a family, it either tears you apart or brings you together.”

He paused briefly before adding: “I think mum would be proud that we’re still intact.”

Adams was quick to stress that while he may be the visible face of the challenge, the operation behind it is much wider.

“My wife back home is still working a full-time job while helping run this campaign. Cian and his partner, my in-laws, the wider support crew – none of this would be possible without them.”

“I’m the one out there carrying the fridge and running across counties, but it’s much bigger than just me. It’s a real family effort.”

The brothers will complete their final marathon in Dublin on Thursday 28 May.

They still have 21 marathons left, somehow.

Supporters can donate through the brothers’ GoFundMe page here.

Jordan’s schedule of upcoming marathons and course routes can be found here.