GARY McKee could be forgiven for dreading the turn of the year as it means a marathon effort. But he cannot wait for Saturday as it will see him run 26 miles on the first of an astonishing 365 occasions as he will do one every day in 2022. String them all together and he […]
GARY McKee could be forgiven for dreading the turn of the year as it means a marathon effort.
But he cannot wait for Saturday as it will see him run 26 miles on the first of an astonishing 365 occasions as he will do one every day in 2022.
String them all together and he would end up close to Kalgoorlie in Western Australia.
And he wants to be joined at some point by rugby League’s other marathon man, Kevin Sinfield.
Having done one a day for 110 days this year, the 52-year-old has decided to go bigger in a bid to raise £1 million for charity.
What’s more, he will do it all while working as a team leader at the nearby Sellafield nuclear plant.
McKee, a former amateur player for Wath Brow Hornets, said: “Either I’ll do a 6am-2pm shift and run or run then do a 2pm-10pm.
“It wasn’t long after the 110 that I came up with the idea. There was plenty left in the tank and I knew I could stretch further.
“When you see how much money you raise and how many people you’re helping, you just want to sustain that and keep doing it.
“There’ll be about a dozen of us on day one but weirdly, when it’s snowing and cold, more people turn up.
“One day in the 110, it was lashing it down and a lad looked at me. I said to him, ‘We’re running in this today but someone’s going to walk out of a cancer ward as they’re cancer free. They’ll stand in that rain and say, ‘This is the nicest rain I’ve ever stood in.’ Today, we’re running in their rain.’
“Doing the whole year was the natural thing – 365 has a ring to it and £1 million is achievable.”
McKee, who is raising money for Macmillan Cancer Support and Hospice at Home West Cumbria, will be joined at some point by St Helens’ Kyle Amor, a fellow Cumbrian, and James Roby plus Sky’s rugby league pundits.
Leeds’ James Donaldson hails from just up the road from his Cleator Moor base and hopefully that link can see him team up with Sinfield.
He can also tell him he has ran further than the seven marathons and 101-mile stint that saw him raise millions for motor neurone disease causes.
He added as he also plans an ‘Alphabet Marathon’ of 26 one-mile stages as he wants to get as many schoolkids as possible involved: “A lot of people say, ‘You’ve done the same as Kevin without the publicity,’ but I don’t see it like that.
“I see it as him using his platform to benefit a good cause. The man’s absolutely fantastic.
“He sent me a personal message during the 110. I was going to send him one before the 101-mile run as I’ve ran from Land’s End to John O’Groats and done the Coast to Coast Trail – 116 miles – in less than 24 hours.
“I see it as doing something, showing people what is possible. Hopefully we can get together at some point over this – I know he’s a busy man.”
McKee hopes to run his marathons in about four hours – although he reckons he can do London in about three – and will be fuelled by wife Susan’s homemade cakes.
He also has her support and that of children Alfie, Beau and Minnie, who are used to his fundraising feats and have done ‘Alphabet Marathons’ before.
He told SunSport: “My wife always has sandwiches and cakes made up, so we can always replenish and go again. It’s about being prepared to go again and not flogging yourself. I always say, ‘Today’s run is for tomorrow.’
“Susan’s always supported everything I’ve ever done. When I told her it would be difficult, the first thing she said to me was, ‘Well, you’re still going to do it anyway, aren’t you?’
“When I did the 110, Alfie cycled every day and Beau and Minnie did bike and treadmill every day. It’ll be the same again.”
*YOU can support Gary’s fundraising efforts by donating at www.justgiving.com/fundraising/threesixfive
