Ben Read is set to run from Preston to Blackpool on Sunday (12 April), raising money for charities Andy’s Man Club and Get Kid’s Going.
Along the way, he will stop at nine different McDonald’s to enjoy his dad’s favourite burger, the Big Mac.
Ben, from Fishwick, is completing the challenge in memory of his father, Chris, who committed suicide in 2021, celebrating his life and his love of running.
Read more: Community gardens, foodbanks and charities share more than £200,000 handed to city good causes
He said: “He was honestly one of my best friends and a hero to me.
“Dad did a lot of really cool challenges, we did the Great Wall of China Marathon together.”
Ben spoke about the importance of Get Kids Going to him, as the first charity his dad fundraised for.
“It was a charity that was very close to my dad’s heart, and its gone on to help some amazing people, including the paralympic ski team, they’ve got about four athletes out there.”
Chris later founded a charity himself, called A Smile For A Child, raising about £1.8 million in the 12 years he fundraised.
For his efforts he even won the Teesdale Mercury Community Pride Award in 2016 for Charity Fundraiser of the Year.
Ben emphasised the importance of supporting men’s mental health and the difference that charities like Andy’s Man Club can make.
He said: “I’m raising money for them because they are a great charity that helped me after my dad passed.
“Growing up suffering with mental health issues it felt like it was something we weren’t meant to talk about and even now it’s something very highly stigmatised.”
Ben originally launched a Justgiving page in the hopes of raising £500, but after reaching his target within the hour, he wants to aim higher and has now topped £2,000.
The 28-year-old told Blog Preston: “It was a complete shock, I thought it was an unachievable target, it was just unbelievable.
“The support has been absolutely amazing, I just want to raise as much money as I can for these charities really.”
He remains positive about his training, despite not running the full 30 miles until the final run, but his friends are confident, calling the challenge ‘typically Ben’.
Ben said: “The preparations are going really well so far, I’ve done a few good long runs around Preston.
“I’ve not tried running with a Big Mac yet, so that’s going to be interesting.”
You can donate to support Ben’s efforts via his fundraising page on Justgiving.
Support Blog Preston: Keep our community reporting going and view the website without any adverts too. Sign up for a membership today.
Stay updated: Keep in touch directly with the latest headlines from Blog Preston, join our WhatsApp channel and subscribe for our twice-a-week email newsletter. Both free and direct to your phone and inbox. Help us report too, by contacting us if you see something we should be reporting on.
Read more: See the latest Preston news and headlines
