York charity 'Restore' beat the sun to the west coast in their Chasing the Sun Challenge raising over a thousand pounds to provide homes for homeless people in York.
Leaving Bridlington beach just before 4.30am, 20 runners began a relay with the target of reaching the Lancashire Coast before the sun set over the Irish Sea 130 miles away.
The runners ranged from super fit marathon athletes to children sprinting short sections. Two of the runners were formerly homeless, until Restore provided them with a home.
The event organiser, Restore’s Development Officer, Jonny Wooldridge, said, “We wanted to find a challenge that, as far as we know, no-one has ever attempted before and that most people would think would be impossible until we proved otherwise.”
The challenge was completed with 42 minutes to spare, although it was not without drama. One runner became stuck in a muddy field and another lost his way after a path was closed on the day with no easy alternative.
The run was completed by a posse of runners who together completed the last mile and burst onto the sea front with 42 minutes to spare. They posed for their victory photo with a glorious sun set over the sea behind them. Some had said that it was an impossible challenge. They proved it to be achievable with time to spare. Plans are already underway to repeat it next year.
The charity’s sponsorship page is still open for donations. Go to: restoreyork.co.uk