A 53-year-old fundraiser from Cumbria, England has completed his mission of running a marathon every day in 2022 and successfully raised one million pounds ($1.2 million) for charity. The man named Gary McKee, finished his 365th marathon of the year, on New Year’s Eve.
According to media reports, the amount was raised for charities Macmillan Cancer Support and Hospice at Home West Cumbria. At the finish line, he was cheered by a crowd of supporters, late Saturday marking the end of a journey that began on January 1 as he thanked everyone for the “fantastic” reception. After over 20 trainers, and running more than 15,300 km in rain, sunshine, and snow, the father of three reached his goal to raise money for charities.
McKee would often run his 42 km route in the morning before going to work as a group leader at the nuclear site Sellafield. He has also previously run 100 marathons in 100 days and 110 marathons in 110 days (2021) with his first one being from his home in Cleator Moor to the United Kingdom capital, London.
On Saturday morning, prior to his race, McKee spoke to BBC One’s Breakfast programme and said, “The support has been phenomenal and it always is and the West Cumbrians get behind us, but cancer affects everybody so it isn’t just a West Cumbrian thing, it’s a national thing”.
He added, “I just hope that people do get behind us and we do raise that million pounds. If we don’t, it won’t be because I haven’t run 365 marathons. We’ll celebrate the day, have a good laugh on the route and I’m looking forward to finishing.”
The fundraiser has been raising money for Macmillan Cancer Support for almost two decades now, going all the way back to 1997 after his father was diagnosed with cancer and passed away eight years later, due to an unrelated illness, as per media reports. The organisation later took to Twitter and said, “Gary McKee has crossed the finish line! A brilliant way to end the year!”
They added, “Congratulations for completing 365 marathons in 2022, that’s a total of 9,563 miles and raising more than £1,000,000 – a phenomenal feat of grit and sheer determination.”
Meanwhile, the director of funding and communications for Hospice at Home West Cumbria, Hayley McKay, said, “It’s difficult to put into words how grateful we are to Gary for taking on this unbelievable challenge. The physical and mental strength he has shown is incomprehensible,” as per media reports.
McKay added, “Gary has not only raised money for two fantastic charities, he has sprinkled magic on the local community and brought people together supporting him with the challenge.”
He also inspired others to join him like the 29-year-old Chris Young who ran 90 marathons with McKee. “Gary ignited a fire in my belly this year when I began running frequently with him and has given me both physical and mental resilience that I don’t know if I would have ever discovered in myself in a million years,” said Young.
He also spoke about how McKee has inspired the “entire local community and beyond” and that his impact on the community and people around him is “immeasurable.”
(With inputs from agencies)
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