Lucas's year of fundraising about to take final bow

Lucas. friends and family at Lisbon

Lucas started the year spending time with friends with two children suffering the life shortening disease, which has an average life expectancy of 31 years old, younger than himself. “It’s given me a much better understanding of what I’m raising funds for. If research can help extended the lives of CF sufferers, then everything I do this year will be worth the effort” Lucas stated. “I’ve revisited them recently and heard how the youngest has been having treatment. This has re-enforced the message about what I’ve been doing all this for."

Lucas has completed a number of challenges which began in March when he had 24 friends and family run the Bath Half Marathon & Fun Run. Many of them had previously only watched from the sidelines. He went on from there to run four marathons in four weeks in Paris, London, Limerick and Skopje (Macedonia) before learning to swim so he could swim a mile in Lake Windermere in June.  Not satisfied with that, he joined friend, Chris Britton, and cycled Land's End to John O Groat's in nine days in July, ran an extra Marathon in Guernsey in August, the Bristol & Humber Bridge Half Marathons in June & September and then, with his brother-in-law Paul and aunt, Elaine, climbed Africa’s highest peak in October, Mount Kilimanjaro.

 Lucas has been sporting the CFT logo in his hair during many of these activities as a reminder of what it’s all in aid of, compliments of Tim Hanson at Razors in Beverley.  He has also sported a specially designed T-shirt courtesy of Diamond Print Express of Kingston upon Hull.  Both have helped boast the fundraising.  

“I’ve been overwhelmed by people’s generosity despite the current financial climate the media portrays and have passed £7,000 this week” said Lucas. He finished the Lisbon Marathon in 3:48:36. The course was much tougher than expected but conditions otherwise were very good.. He was joined by 10 friends and family, 6 of whom will also ran, Beverley AC's Julie Donald, Debs Brant and Andrew Brant as well as Alex Cleeland of East Hull Harriers. Alex completed his first 26.2 mile course in 3:59:48.  Beverley AC also had Mandy Ritchie in the Half Marathon and Mark Oglsby in the 6k run.  Everyone remarked how beautiful Lisbon was, yet the course was not easy with a 4km constant uphill section towards the finish.

The second charity ball takes place this Saturday in Frome. The first took place in Beverley the weekend before the Lisbon Marathon and raised over £1500. “The Charity balls give an opportunity to celebrate the past ten years whilst also bringing in many more funds." Lucas remarked enthusiastically.

Lucas regularly trains on Wednesday nights with Beverley AC. To keep up to date with Lucas's progress see his website www.lucaskeepsrunning.co.uk or follow him on Facebook “Lucaskeepsrunning.” And video’s on YouTube under Lucaskeepsrunning

If anyone wishes to support Lucas, please go to www.justgiving.com/lucas10thanniversary