fundraising, which this year is halfway through its challenge to run a marathon every day, said the first six months “flew by”.
Gary McKee, 52, will run his 183rd marathon of the year on Saturday and cross the halfway point of his attempt to run 26.2 miles every day of 2022.
He hopes to raise £ 1 million for Macmillan Cancer Support and Hospice at Home West Cumbria.
It’s not easy, but it’s nothing compared to cancer
He said: “I always said there were 365 opportunities to help people and now it has decreased to just over 180.
“It absolutely flew by.
“It’s not easy, but it’s nothing compared to cancer.”
The father of three has become a regular sight on the bike paths around his home in Cleator Moor, Cumbria, and usually receives high-fives from children on the way to school when he leaves each morning.
So far, more than 100 people have joined him to jog or ride a part of the trail and, whether it rains or rains, he is always met by fans offering a cup of tea and cake along the way.
There is nothing you can do except the weather, you just have to dress accordingly, and halfway through I always get a cup of tea and cake which is very welcoming
He said: “In early January, we had a few days when a storm blew, with hail falling on your face.
“The temperature would become very low. I would be soaked to the skin and once you’re cold, it chills you to the bone, so that was probably the worst.
“There is nothing you can do except the weather, you just have to dress accordingly, and halfway through I always get a cup of tea and cake which is very welcoming.
“People come out every day to support me and it is the support of the community that makes it what it is.”
Mr McKee runs the same route every day, usually between 08:00 and 12:00 before starting work as group leader at the Sellafield nuclear power plant where he does a shift, sometimes from home, from 14:00 to 22:00.
He rotated 22 pairs of coaches during the challenge and said he was lucky enough so far to avoid any blisters.
Son Beau (14) and daughter Minnie (10) both get involved in the challenge, with Beau cycling with his father on many of the runs and Minnie making loom straps to raise extra money for the charities.
Mr McKee said: “My wife Susan was also a fantastic support. She asked me the other day what I would do next year. I said let me get through this one first! ”
Mr McKee has been remembering beer for the year and he and Beau will be staying home this summer to take on the challenge while the rest of the family goes on holiday.
He said: “I do not see it as a sacrifice, it is a choice.
“It’s only for a year and I see it as serving the community and helping people who really need help.”
Mr McKee started fundraising in 2003 in memory of his father, who was diagnosed with lung cancer in 1997.
To donate go to https://justgiving.com/fundraising/threesixfive.