The super Hartlepool strongmen who will haul 200 kilos of gym equipment for charity

Ten of the town’s strongest people will each haul the yoke – which is a piece of gym equipment – with 200 kilos on it around the 5k Miles for Men course.

They will take turns to do 50 metre stretches and Danny Weatherill, co-owner of the Northern Strength and Performance gym in Hartlepool, reckons his team is up for the challenge.

"They train with it in the gym anyway,” he said. “But we have never gone more than 20 metres in a competition. They will do it no problem.

A new event has been added to the Miles for Men itinerary.

"It is the first year that we will have done the Miles for Men event and it should be fun.”

After the annual Miles for Men 5k run, the gym members will also put on a 5-event display and Danny said it was likely to include log presses, dead lifts, and yoke training.

Miles for Men founder Micky Day praised the team from Northern Strength and Performance and said: “Carrying the yoke with 200 kilo on is outrageous but these ladies and gents work hard to do this and work safely.”

The charity strongman event after the run will be held in memory of Tony Ellett, who died aged 44 last year, and who Micky described as ‘an absolute gent and is sadly missed by his family and friends”.

The yoke challenge is coming to the Miles for Men day in July.

Tony was himself one of the UK’s best bodybuilders and his achievements stretched from 2009 to 2017.

His first bodybuilding competition was back in 2009 and his biggest success was to win in the 2016 NABBA UK Championships.

His last competition was the 2017 NABBA Mr Britain Championship, where he placed third.

Tony’s brother, Garry, thanked Miles For Men and said: “Its not the first time our great local charity Miles for Men, founded by our friend Micky Day, have been there to support our family. I am proud and honoured at such a great gesture by the charity and hopefully we all get to raise plenty of money to help those local people who are in need.”

The Miles for Men day will have a new attraction when it returns in July.

The Miles for Men story first started 10 years ago when Micky founded the charity run in memory of his father Michael Day senior, who died aged 68 after a one-year battle with throat cancer. It was a phenomenal success from the start.

Since then, it has donated more than £565,000 to worthy causes.

Poorly children have been given the chance to enjoy holidays while others received much-needed wheelchairs, bikes or trikes.

Some youngsters got the chance to have extra medical treatment to help them have the best chance in life.

Deserving parents across town have been treated to spa days, flowers and afternoon teas.

There has also been support for people with cancer and those in hospices.

Now the charity’s 5k annual run is returning after the pandemic and will be held on July 31 at Seaton Carew.

To find out more, visit https://www.facebook.com/MilesForMen or https://milesformen.co.uk