Ray’s ready for Arctic challenge

MORNING joggers will have noticed the weather turning a little colder recently – but spare a thought for an Earley businessman who is spending this weekend running a half-marathon and a marathon in the chilly climate of the Arctic Circle.

Ray Cook, who runs the popular garage Citroemech in Molly Millars Lane, Wokingham, is taking on the cold-footed challenge in order to raise funds for Macmillan Cancer Care, the garage’s chosen charity of the year.

He’s aiming to raise at least £2,500 for the charity while dashing not on a one-horse open sleigh but on his one two feet through the snowy vistas of one of the coldest places on Earth.

Mr Cook travelled out to Kangerlussuaq in Greenland yesterday, and has a day to acclimatise before tackling the marathon on Saturday.

The route planned takes in glacier tongues, moraine landscapes and the soundless Arctic desert. To get Mr Cook to the start line, he and his fellow runners will be taken by special all-terrain vehicles that can cope with ice sheets.

On Sunday, he will tackle a halfmarathon on a similar course and can look forward to a traditional festive Greenlandic dinner in Roklubben afterwards, followed by a party where he could be lucky enough to see the northern lights as the night goes on.

But training hasn’t quite gone to plan for Mr Cook, a setback has meant he’s not been able to run as much as he’d hoped to before setting off.

However, the prospect of raising money for Macmillan is keeping him going.

He said: “I’m doing it for charity, so I’m going to do it, but it’s going to be tough.

“We’ve had really good support from customers. People are very good at supporting our charities. I’m hoping to raise at least £2,500.”

And that support will be vital as he tackles both epic runs.

“Lots of people do one or the other running challenges. I’ll do both. The support from people is so important. When you’ve got that at the back of your brain, it keeps you going,” he said.

“Technology in clothing has come a long way, we’ll be running in snow, hopefully it will be around -12ºC with some sunshine, that will be perfect.

“When you look at photos of people who have done it before, a couple of years ago there was a complete white out, there’s fantastic scenery, but they couldn’t see it!

“We’re hoping the weather will be kind to us.”

All donations for Mr Cook’s efforts will be entered into a free draw for an MOT test and oil service, courtesy of Citroemech.

www.justgiving.com/ fund raising/ ray-cook3