Gary McKee, the 52-year-old Marathon Man from Cleator Moor is preparing for the biggest challenge of his epic fundraising career.
On New Year’s Day Gary will run the first of 365 marathons – one a day throughout 2022 – to raise more money for Macmillan Cancer Support and Hospice at Home West Cumbria.
If he can complete this mammoth task he will have run over 9,500 miles and hopefully raised £1 million.
Our cameraman Elwyn Evans caught up with Gary on a training run at the Rowrah Kart Racing circuit this week as he puts the finishing touches to his training schedule.
“There were gales and rain but that didn’t stop Gary from putting in a solid training session with a few supporters there to watch.
“He starts at 8am on New Year’s Day and anyone wishing to donate or support him by running or walking with him can look on his Facebook page Marathon Man 365,” said Elwyn.
This year he raised over £200,000 for the charities by running 100 consecutive marathons. It sounds a lot, but it’s less than a third of what he’s planning for 2022.
“It’s not completely new because a few years ago I did run for 500 days in a row but I was only doing about 100 miles a week back then.
“As far as duration goes this is obviously going to be the toughest challenge I have undertaken but it’s a day at a time. That’s how I look at it, focusing on one day at a time.
“What I’m doing is no more than what I feel I’m capable of doing, and I suppose if we all did a bit more of what we are capable of then the world would be a better place,” he says.
His money-raising efforts started for Macmillan in 1997 when his father was diagnosed with cancer.
He died six years later, but from an unrelated illness, and Gary has continued his efforts to raise cash and awareness of the charity.
Gary McKee starts mammoth Three Six Five Challenge – cumbriacrack.com
Gary McKee on what each day will involve when he takes on 365 marathons – cumbriacrack.com
Why does Gary McKee support Macmillan and Hospice at Home? – cumbriacrack.com
Gary McKee raises over £30,000 before he even starts Three Six Five Challenge
