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Jun 2024
Harrogate man takes on 100-mile ultramarathon for charity
A Harrogate man is set to take on a 100-mile race through the Yorkshire Dales.
Toby Cook, 21, will take part in The Punkpanthers Dales Highway Ultra (104) marathon on July 6 in Saltaire, which will see participants go through the three peaks and end in Appleby.
The race will take over 30 continuous hours and runners will cover 16,000 ft of elevation.
Mr Cook aims to raise £5,000 for Cancer Research UK due to his family been affected by cancer.
All of the money raised will go to charity, with his kit and other expenses covered by sponsors. He has been sponsored by Harrogate companies GB Partners and CSM Financial for the event.
He began running in September and with less than a year’s training, upon completion of the ultramarathon he will be one of the youngest in the country to have achieved the feat.
Mr Cook said:
I have always loved the outdoors and pushing myself to do unrealistic challenges, people always think I’m mad.
From a young age I have been hill walking with my dad and I have been into sports all my life, 100 miles is a nice round number, and it has always been in my mind to do something like this, there is never a good time, or a better time do to something like this. I saw this was available in Yorkshire and I just thought I would go for it.
To prepare, he has been running 100 miles a week and training on mountains in Scotland and the three peaks to acclimatise to the elevation.
He has done smaller ultra marathons for the past three months and has been training in and around Harrogate too around the Stray and Fewston and Swinsty reservoirs.
Toby Cook running a previous Ultramarathon
Mr Cook said:
I can’t wait to start it now. I am nervous but I have done shorter events previously and you do go to some dark places in these challenges, but I like to think I’ve got what it takes, I’m excited but nervous.
Richard Cook from GB Partners, Mr Cook's sponsors, said:
It’s a privilege to sponsor aspiring young adults in their challenges and quests , having personally been there myself. At GB & Partners it’s something we have instilled in our culture and client propositions
Toby Cook
Toby Cook added that this isn’t his only extreme challenge this year, in October he is set to take on The Roc Scotland challenge.
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