Halifax man raises thousands for good causes by completing six marathons in three days

A Halifax man has raised nearly £4,000 for good causes by running two marathons a day for three days over the Easter weekend.
Photo: Jake HancockPhoto: Jake Hancock
Photo: Jake Hancock

Jake Hancock, 24, an electrician from Southowram, completed the gruelling challenge over Good Friday, Saturday and Easter Sunday, running 52 miles a day.

"It was all round Halifax, a lot of it was on the canals, like from Hebden Bridge to Brighouse, up and around Queensbury as well," he said.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

"The first day went pretty well, took around eight or nine hours.

"The second day was up to 14 hours, and we managed to get the final day done in around nine hours again."

Jake says he has never done anything like this before, but had been inspired seeing similar fundraising efforts for good causes.

"I've always really wanted to but always thought it was a bit too much time-wise.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

"But when you see other people completing it you think 'well, they've made time for it, so let's do it'," he said.

"I started training about seven or eight weeks ago, running as much as I could after work, and just threw myself into it.

"I had a lot of support from my mates on the last day, they're all pretty athletic.

"One plays for Halifax, a couple play for Siddal, so they helped me on the last day. They didn't train but they completed it with me."

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Jake, a former scrum half for Siddal juniors, has raised around £4,000, double his target of £2,000.

Half the money raised will go to the Nick Smith Foundation, and half will go to the paediatric unit at Leeds General Infirmary.

"My girlfriend works on the paediatric unit at Leeds General Infirmary and through all the hassle of Covid, you realise how hard it can be for some of the nurses, that was one of the motivations," he said.

"I also used to play as a junior at Siddal, and Nick Smith was good mates with a lot of people I hung around with, my dad coached him as a junior too.

"So that was part of it too.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

"And with Kevin Sinfield doing the fundraising he's done for Motor Neurone Disease, I kind of thought if he can do that why can't I?"

Jake was helped during his fundraising effort by receiving videos from former Leeds Rhinos players Kevin Sinfield and Jamie Jones-Bunchanan.

"One of my good friends, Kruise Leeming, plays for Leeds Rhinos, so he was speaking to them at training about it and they sent me some inspirational videos, which really helped me," Jake said.

To donate, visit www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/Jake-Hancock.