A 102-year-old veteran of World Conflict II has grow to be the oldest man to finish a half marathon after ending the Nice North Run.
Invoice Cooksey, who served within the RAF between 1941 and 1951, lined the 13.1 mile course from Newcastle to South Shields with the help of strolling companion Gavin Iceton in 5 hours and 41 minutes.
The centenarian had beforehand accomplished 10 miles a day for 10 days for his a hundredth birthday and cycled 1,000 miles for his a hundred and first birthday, and took on the problem to help the County Durham and Darlington NHS Belief.
“I’ve at all times needed to do it,” MR Cooksey informed ITV forward of the occasion. “I’ve been up right here 30 years and at all times walked, and after I heard concerning the Nice North Run I believed ‘I’ll have the ability to try this absolutely,’ as a result of there’s the extra impetus of the NHS.
“Truly I don’t suppose I might have carried out it if it wasn’t of profit to the NHS.”
The Nice North run was hit by torrential downpours after every week of warmth in the UK.
Some runners had been pressured to stroll house after flash flooding hit roads and the Tyne and Put on Metro system.
Mr Cooksey, although, managed to outlive the situations to finish his problem and lift extra money for the NHS. “I’m glad I’ve carried out it,” he mentioned to the Each day Mail. “I want we didn’t should undergo all that rain – however we did it.”
Pat Chambers, charity growth supervisor on the belief, added: “What a hero Invoice Cooksey is.
“He continued strolling via a thunderstorm to grow to be a report breaker finishing it in simply over 5 hours 40 minutes. We’re so pleased with him.”