Hartlepool dad completes gruelling Hadrian's Wall untramarathon in aid of RNLI

Craig Dunnett ran 70 miles along the length of Hadrian’s Wall from Carlisle to Newcastle, completing the course in 20 hours 42 minutes.

In the process he has raised around £1,500 for Hartlepool RNLI, which he was previously a crew member of for 13 years.

He lined up with almost 800 runners on Saturday, June 15, for The Wall ultramarathon.

It followed a route from Carlisle Castle to Gateshead Baltic Quay and it was the early hours of the morning when he crossed the finishing line.

Craig, 39, said: "This was definitely one of the hardest things I have ever done. It’s not just physically challenging but it also required a lot of mental resilience.

“I've raised around £1,500 so far for the charity where my dad Steve is a volunteer and my brother Liam, who works for the RNLI and is also a volunteer.

“The hardest part of the run for me was the section between Walltown Quarry and the Sill, near Hexham, but I was still pleased with my time and finishing in 563rd place out of the 799 runners, who completed the course from the initial 1,500 runners that started in Carlisle.

"But most importantly I have raised some money for the charity that saves lives at sea and the amazing volunteers that are on call 24/7.”

He praised the support from his wife Sarah and children Esme and Rory, in-laws Dave and Jan and rest of the family, adding: “The support of my family lifted my spirits when the going got tough.”

Hartlepool RNLI deputy launch authority Steve Pounder said: “That's an absolutely amazing effort from Craig and I would like to say a huge thank you on behalf of everyone at the lifeboat station.

"We depend on donations to keep the boats at sea and provide the crew with the best training and kit available.”

Operators Rat Race Adventures have been staging The Wall since 2012 and is designed to be the perfect adventure for first-time ultrarunners and seasoned pros alike.