FIVE athletes from a Cuddington-based running club are taking on their biggest challenge this summer.

Cheshire Dragons runners Ross McNair, Anna Parsons, Katie Dickinson, Tommy Armstrong and Helen Harrington will all attempt to run a staggering 100 miles on Wednesday, June 21, raising money for The Christie charity in the process.

Their course will be The Cheshire Circuit, which is 92miles, and eight additional miles by leaving from Cuddington to pick the course up in Delamere and finishing back in Cuddington.

This run takes in the full sandstone trail, including a difficult climb up and over Rawhead and finishes with another tough climb up and over Frodsham hill.

The team are aiming to finish in 24 hours, with a goal of passing through Northwich town centre early evening on June 21 (Midsummer's Day).

Training for such an event takes an enormous time commitment and has had the team lost in fields and confronted by streams but they are working as best they can to be prepared for the day.

Helen said: “It goes without saying that running nearly four back-to-back marathons is no easy feat, and will take a lot of will power, mental and physical strength and most importantly, support!”

“If anyone would like to get involved in supporting them at aid stations along the route please contact the team using helenharringtondragons@gmail.com”

They have a fundraising goal of £5,000, of which they have already raised £1,500 at justgiving.com/midsummer100.

Their motivation levels are high.

In July, 2020, Katie's step sister, Rochelle, who had just turned 30, was diagnosed with stage four breast cancer, which had spread to her lungs.

Helen said: “After a year of doing everything in her power to heal from within, along with all the various medical treatment, it eventually spread to her brain, and she passed away in September 2021.”

So Katie and her four fellow Cheshire Dragons runners are taking on this challenge as a way to remember Rochelle and to raise funds for The Christie, a charity which provides enhanced services over and above what the NHS funds.

Helen said: “Gifts from the public make a huge difference to the care and treatment that they can provide to their patients and their families.

“Fundraising and donations help to fund services and research projects at The Christie.”