Since 1994, club member Mark Allison, AKA Run Geordie Run, has being running around the world to raise monies for two charities close to his heart, St. Benedict’s Hospice (Sunderland) and The Children’s Foundation.
Aside from running 11 Great North Run’s, 5 full major marathons and several Coast to Coast runs (each one in excess of 130 miles), Mark is probably best known for running John O’Groats to Lands End (874 miles) and running across the USA in 2011, a distance of 3100 miles. Goodness knows how many miles he ran in all those years, or how many pairs of trainers he has went through, but what is known is the amount of money Mark has raised, a staggering £165,000.
For his next ‘major’ challenge, Mark is heading to Australia in 2013 and plans to run from Perth to Sydney (2600 miles) over the course of 70 days, averaging 41 miles per day. But just as challenging for Mark has been his decision to cease fundraising for St Benedict’s Hospice and concentrate all of his future fundraising efforts in aid of The Sir Bobby Robson Foundation and The Children’s Foundation.
Tyne Bridge Harriers are honoured to have Mark as a member of it’s club and wish him, and his chosen charities, every success in the future.
To read the full details behind Mark’s decision to change charity organisations, please click on the following link
http://markallisonjogtole.blogspot.co.uk/2012/09/a-change-of-tactics.html
2 Responses
Sir Bobby Robson was an inspiration to many, not just football folk but to the north-east people in general, and I’m sure he would be geniunely touched to have Mark running (and fund-raising) on behalf of his trust.
Best wishes to Mark in his future events and I hope both charities benefit greatly from Mark’s amazing feats of endurance.
Good luck Mark, I/We have every faith in you. If you can run the GNR in a Bear/Lion Suit you can do anything. I am sure you will raise loads of funds for your chosen charities. Get yourself fighting fit on the start line, get all the Cross Country’s in, a few choice races and enjoy your training.
Amazing achievements and goals.