An out-of-body experience and a running Rabbi helped one man get over "indescribable pain" to complete his first ever marathon.  

Daniel Carmel-Brown decided to mark his 20th year working for Jewish Care by taking on the ultimate challenge – a grueling 26.2 mile London marathon.   

The father-of-three from Woodford Green has gone from being a part-time youth worker at the Redbridge Jewish Community Centre in Clayhall to director of marketing and fundraising for the whole organisation.  

And after his colleagues helped care for his late grandma Lily before she died in January, the 41-year-old was certain he wanted to do the distance on Sunday (April 23).  

He said: "Sadly my grandma Lily passed away early in the new year, but I witnessed the incredible care given by such dedicated colleagues.  

"Jewish Care sees people from more than 70 countries supporting one community, and in a world of division, this is such a special and uniting force."  

Daniel's day started bright and early at 5am as he headed to the start line in Greenwich with his fellow Jewish Care marathon runner Josh Domb and another who flew from Israel just to do the race.  

Being at the back of the starting pen, it took him 20 minutes just to get over the start line, which he claims only added to his "maranoia".   

After a few miles trying to find his pace, Daniel started to feel the burn around mile seven, but knew his Jewish Care colleagues would be waiting for him at mile 11 with words of encouragement and jelly babies.  

At mile 15 he admitted starting to feel the kind of pain he had only hoped to encounter at mile 20 and "was in need of an intervention".  

He said: "And then, low and behold, there it was – in the form of a running Rabbi."  

After bumping into Buckhurst Hill Rabbi Odom Brandman, the pair ran together for a few miles then Daniel was on his own again until the final Jewish Care cheer point at mile 25.  

He said: "The cramp was like no other I've ever felt, so sudden and crippling.  

"But then I realised I couldn't stop and that I had to carry on for all my colleagues over the last 20 years, for everyone who supported me, and for all the hard work I'd put in.  

"There is digging deep and then there's reaching beyond what a normal human can do to achieve a lifetime ambition.  

"It was like an out-of-body experience, my life literally flashed before my eyes and in that moment I learned what we are capable of."  

Daniel crossed the finish line after four hours and 56 minutes to thundering cheers from his supporters.  

He managed to raise just under £10,000 for Jewish Care, bringing the charity's grand fundraising total to £20,000 for its four runners.