'Marathon Man' Who Completed a Full Course Every Day for 365 Days for Charity Fundraiser

Gary McKee, a British Man in His 50s, Raises 1.5 Billion Won for Charity
Also Completed 110 Marathons in 2021

Photo of Gary Mackey, the "Marathon Man," on his Twitter account. Photo by Yonhap News

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Hyunjung] A man who ran a full marathon distance of 42.195km every single day for 365 days last year to raise charity funds has become a hot topic.

The man in the spotlight is Gary Mackey (53), who lives in Clitheroe, Cumbria, in the northwest of England, UK. Also well known by the nickname "Marathon Man," he ran a full marathon every day throughout 2022 to raise charity funds. Mackey, a father of three, gave up family vacations and drinking gatherings for a year, running 42.195km every single day regardless of harsh weather conditions such as snow, rain, or scorching heat.

Working as a group leader at the Sellafield nuclear site, he mainly ran the marathon course early in the morning before starting his afternoon shift. Sometimes, many people who sympathized with his cause joined him on the course.

According to local British media such as the BBC and The Guardian, Mackey's final full marathon challenge of the year took place on December 31 last month, witnessed by numerous supporters. After successfully finishing and crossing the finish line, he told the BBC in an interview, "Even in the bad weather with rain, everyone came out to clap and cheer," adding, "That scene was so fantastic that I will always remember it."

He ran tirelessly to raise funds for the cancer charity "Macmillan Cancer Support" and the hospice organization "Hospice at Home West Cumbria." The amount he raised last year exceeded his target of one million pounds (approximately 1.53 billion KRW).

Mackey began participating in fundraising activities for Macmillan Cancer Support after his father, Victor, was diagnosed with lung cancer in 1997. Although his father passed away in 2003 from a disease unrelated to cancer, Mackey continued his fundraising efforts. He completed 100 marathons in 100 days in 2017, followed by 110 marathons in 110 days in 2021, and finally achieved the monumental record of completing a marathon every day for 365 days last year.

His challenge last year was continuously covered by local media from the 50th, 100th, up to the 365th day. When he started his first challenge on January 1 last year, he told the BBC, "Running just four hours a day is not difficult for me," adding, "The hard part is watching someone suffer from cancer."

According to the British daily The Guardian, Mackey has also succeeded in various challenges such as climbing Mount Kilimanjaro in Africa, trekking across New Zealand, skydiving, and walking on hot coals.

Hailey Mackay, Director of Funding and Communications at Hospice at Home West Cumbria, praised, "The physical and mental strength that Mackey has shown is beyond imagination," adding, "he not only raised funds for charity organizations but also worked magic in the local community, inspiring people to support him together."