Seven half marathons in seven days is the tough target for Revd Prof Simon Robinson, lecturer at Leeds Minster, who is running the ‘virtual’ Great North Run Challenge to raise money for MacMillan Cancer Support.
As part of a family team, his daunting task will end on September 13 and is a fundraising effort linked to his wife’s tragic loss of both her sisters to cancer in under three years.
“Our family’s big fundraiser for MacMillan Cancer Support was to do a Hadrian’s Wall Walk – but that went the way of all pandemics, as did the replacement, the Great North Run,” Simon said.
So the Robinson team, including Simon, whose day job is professor of applied ethics at Leeds Beckett University, is taking on the Great North Run virtual challenge.
“Of course it is not virtual, and will involve seven real half marathons in seven consecutive days, culminating in the final one which will follow the route of the Leeds Half Marathon, starting at 8am,” Simon said.
The first six will be three times round Eccup reservoir with his canine running partner, Floss, pictured.
“Support for cancer patients can easily be lost in the COVID-19 pandemic, so please see https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/sarah-tate6 for how you can contribute,” Simon said.