Man with the Pram John Burkhill closes in on £1 million fundraising target
Sheffield's famous "Man with the Pram" John Burkhill is closing-in on his £1,000,000 fundraising target for Macmillan Cancer Support.
He pushed his pram around his 1,037th race in his home city on Sunday (26 March) alongside thousands of runners in the Jane Tomlinson Run For All Sheffield Half Marathon.
John has taken part in every half marathon in the city since 1982. He said: "I didn't think at 84 I'd still be going like this and I feel alright as well. I've had my bread and dripping this morning, and put a good bit of WD40 on my knees!"
He's been raising money for Macmillan in memory of his late daughter and wife, by pushing his daughter's pram around the steel city.
And while the 84 year old already exceeded his target of quarter of a million pounds in 2013, he's now aiming for his "magic million" before he turns 85 next January.
"It's unbelievable. The people of Yorkshire, Sheffield, and Mike Tomlinson's races, I do all of them, the Great North Run, you name them, I've done them and I love it. I go round, and it takes me a long time to get round because so many people went to high five, and want to put money in my bucket."
Reflecting on the efforts of John, and all those who take part in the Sheffield Half Marathon, Treve Whitford, from the Jane Tomlinson appeal said: "The stories that you hear from people of all abilities, to some who have just taken up running for this particular challenge to run for something which is really close to their heart, and like John, it's just phenomenal. Pushing a trolley round for 13 miles, I don't think I could do it, but it just shows the sort of spirit in these events."
John added: "This pram is very special to me, it's my daughter's pram, and she died in 1991 and I've pushed it all over the country and on the front is my late wife's teddy bear, and I know it seems a bit daft, but when I'm pushing this pram, they're both with me."
The Pram Man's current fundraising total stands at £920,000.
A new course record was set at the half marahton for the fastest female runner.
Phillipa Williams completed the half marathon in 1 hour, 14 minutes and 50 seconds, beating her own record set in 2019 by almost three minutes.
She was also crowned the winner in the women’s City Peaks and 10K challenges, coming in at 6 minutes and 27 seconds, and 33 minutes and 50 seconds respectively.
Sarah Lowery took second place in 1 hour, 21 minutes and 14 seconds, with Kate Russell taking third place in a time of 1 hour, 23 minutes and 16 seconds.
Just two seconds separated the first and second place in the male race. Tommy Power was the first male across the finish line in 1 hour and 8 minutes, followed by Daniel Haworth who crossed the line in 1 hour, 8 minutes and 2 seconds.
Scott Hinchcliffe took third position in a time of 1 hour, 9 minutes and 43 seconds.
The Outdoor City Peaks Challenge was tied in the males' race between Tommy Power and Daniel Haworth, who both came in at 5 minutes and 57 seconds. Tommy Power won the 10K Challenge with a time of 30 minutes and 35 seconds.
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