A DALE father is over half way through his mammoth challenge to run more than 4,000km this year and he has the worn-out trainers to prove it.
Craig Huddart, from Holwick, has been running 10km every day this year and completing a half marathon every seventh day to raise funds and awareness for the North East Autism Society and the Alan Shearer Centre.
Come rain, snow, hail and more recently unrelenting sunshine, the 38-year-old has donned his running gear and headed out to complete the challenge because he is a father to autistic children.
Mr Huddart has been posting videos on social media on the way. He said: “The two charities do amazing work and help so many people, including my own family, so I wanted to give back.”
Since starting the intense running challenge, Mr Huddart has raised just short of £2,000. His body and running shoes have taken a battering from the daily pounding, dropping a good deal of weight in the first few months and going through numerous shoes and shorts.
He added: “I’m eating a bit better now which is good so I’ve managed put some weight back on again. I have three or four pairs of dead trainers already.
“I run anyway but I wouldn’t have been buying this amount of stuff in the year, but I seem to have found a routine with the running.”
As if his year-long fund-raiser was not enough of a challenge, Mr Huddart, who has 20 years’ experience in the archaeology field, also started his own heritage and archaeology planning consultancy with partner Anthony Boyce, in February.
Initially they based Rocket Heritage and Archaeology in Middleton-in-Teesdale, but moved to offices at Rokeby in April.
He added: “Since we set the business has taken right off.
“We’ve got field work and heritage and archaeology work across the country and we’ve taken on seven members of staff including Natasha Powers, who is one of the most renowned osteoarchaeologists in the country.
“She’s been in the business for 25 years and moved to Romaldkirk last year from Hastings, so it’s a big coup to bring her onboard.
“With everything that has been taking off with the business I just haven’t had time to post videos as much about the fundraising, but I’m still doing it, every day.
“Although I’m raising cash for the charities, it’s the awareness of the charities I want to raise. The services they offer for families with autistic children are great and many people don’t know they exist. The North East Autism Society has specialist schools but they also support children and adults as well. The Alan Shearer Centre, in Newcastle, supports people with complex disabilities, with sensory facilities, offering respite care for adults and children.
Mr Huddart has also signed up to two more running challenges this year. He will complete a 30km Ultimate in the Lakes in August and intends to run 62km from High Force to Darlington in another in October. As well as the online fundraising Mr Huddart also has plans to put a donation bucket in his local Co-op store in Middleton-in-Teesdale.
Anyone wishing to donate to his epic challenge should visit www.justgiving.com
/team/runningforautism2 or www.justgiving.com/fundraising/craig-huddart2
He has also set up a Facebook page – www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100076091020480
