You\u2019ll remember earlier this month we reported on marathon runner Ben Cook\u2019s plan to run the entire length of the Tyne and Wear Metro for charity. The August Bank Holiday weekend was selected to complete it and he managed to run the full 63 miles over two days \u2013 in a combined time of 11 hours and 30 minutes.<\/p>\n
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Ben was running on behalf of The Running Charity, which helps\u00a0 young people who are homeless or risk of homelessness, and tracked the whole Metro route by using nearby roads and footpaths. Completing 27 miles on the first day between South Hylton and Newcastle Airport, he then ran the final 36 miles on the Yellow route between South Shields and St James via the North Tyneside coastal loop the following day.<\/p>\n
Ben said: \u201cI\u2019m buzzing to have completed this Metro marathon. It was amazing to cross that finish line. I was knackered after two days of back to back running.\u00a0The hardest part was the second morning. I almost didn\u2019t want to leave the house. The first ten miles from South Shields was really tough. I\u2019ve had great support along the way from my wife and my colleagues at Heaton Harrierrs running club. It was brilliant to see that finish line and see my wife Hannah waiting for me there.<\/p>\n
\u201cI want to say thanks to everyone who has supported me and sponsored me on the run. I\u2019m hoping to raise over \u00a32,000 for The Running Charity, which will go to help homeless young people. It\u2019s a cause close to my heart. I\u2019ll have a well earned rest now, but I am thinking to try this same Metro route again next year, and next time get it all done in one single day.\u201d<\/p>\n
Lynne Dickinson, Head of Station Delivery at Nexus, said: \u201cWe\u2019re thrilled to hear that Ben has completed his epic Metro marathon. It\u2019s been a phenomenal effort for a really great cause.\u00a0When we heard about this challenge we thought he was a bit crazy for taking that on over two back to back days, but he\u2019s shown incredible stamina and fitness to get to the finish.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt can\u2019t have been easy running that far, especially on that second day when he still had 36 miles in front of him after 27 miles on day one. Metro covers such a wide area and the run has shown the network is a lot bigger than many people realise.\u201d<\/p>\n
Ben was using the Metro route as training for a 100 mile ultra marathon that he\u2019s taking on in September which sees him run from Holy Island to Hexham in one day.<\/p>\n
You\u2019ll remember earlier this month we reported on marathon runner Ben Cook\u2019s plan to run the entire length of the Tyne and Wear Metro for charity. The August Bank Holiday weekend was selected to complete it and he managed to … Continue reading