Cleator Moor 'Marathon Man' takes on daily challenge for 2022

Cumbria's "Marathon Man" has set off for a 26-mile run, and will be doing so every day for the rest of the year.

Gary McKee, from Cleator Moor, made headlines last year when he ran 110 marathons in 110 days.

He is now upping the challenge to a daily marathon in the hope of raising £1m for Macmillan Cancer Support and Hospice at Home West Cumbria.

The 52-year-old will be sacrificing family holidays - and alcohol - during the challenge in memory of his father.

He was inspired to fundraise for Macmillan after his father was diagnosed with cancer in 1997. He died from an unrelated illness in 2003.

Previous efforts included climbing Kilimanjaro and running from Land's End to John O'Groats, and after his epic marathon challenge in 2021 he said there was "plenty left for me to go at".

To fit the marathons around his work commitments at Sellafield, he plans to set off early in the morning to finish in time for his afternoon shift.

Mr McKee said: "To me it is just four hours running a day, which isn't difficult, what is difficult is watching somebody face cancer.

"My dad was diagnosed with lung cancer in June 1997, it was a devastating time.

"He didn't know what he was going to face and it knocked the wind out of him.

"I thought back to when he had cancer and I wanted to provide funds to support other people in similar situations."

Sue McDonald, Macmillan Cancer Support's fundraising manager for Cumbria, said: "We'd like to thank Gary for his amazing commitment.

"His efforts last year were extraordinary enough, but this 365 Challenge is almost incomprehensible in the scale of its ambition."

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