Runners took to the streets of York to support a woman running almost 500 km for charity.
Vicky South, who grew up outside of York and went to Huntington School, hopes to complete the 496 km Action for Children Challenge this month.
It includes running an increased distance each day of the month to raise money for children in poverty.
She began with 1 km on 1st of December, followed by 2 km on 2nd December and so on.
Vicky’s Christmas Day will include a 25km run, and a gruelling 31km run on New Year’s Eve.
The 46-year-old, who mostly runs in the Cotswolds, will be in York visiting family this festive season and roped in a few friends for the ride yesterday (Monday).
They ran through the city’s streets before ending with a lap of the racecourse, where mince pies and a cup of tea were waiting at the finish line.
Vicky said: “The first couple of weeks were ok but by the time I hit 20th December the last twelve days were beginning to feel tough. The wintry miles are starting to seem quite long, while friends and family tuck into their mince pies!”
Vicky hopes to raise £4,000 for Action for Children, “it will be worth every step if together we can help vulnerable children feel the magic of Christmas.”
More than 4 million children now experience poverty in the UK, which is the highest number ever recorded.
The Action for Children Secret Santa campaign helps provide essentials like warm clothes, hot meals, toys, and books.
Once December is complete, Vicky will have completed almost 12 marathons.
As the majority of her runs have been done alone, she’s excited to be joined by some friends as she approaches the last leg of her challenge.
Vicky said, “I’m looking forward to catching up with friends as I run, and the thought of cake and hot chocolate at the end will definitely keep me going.”
If you’d like to support Vicky and donate to her JustGiving page, click here.