Bolton Bulls wheelchair basketball club joined thousands of fundraisers in completing the 100km ‘Run in the Dark’ on Wednesday night at MediaCity to race vital funds for charity.
Runners and spectators from across the North West turned out in full force on Salford Quays, which was just one of over 40 Run in the Dark venues happening simultaneously all over the world.
Among the thousands-strong line up were the Bulls, who rolled over the line to both fundraise for their club, a registered charity, and to raise awareness of spinal cord injury.
Bolton Bulls’ fundraising coordinator Rachel Oakes-Courchene told MM: “It was really important to raise awareness of spinal cord injury because, as a wheelchair basketball club, some of our players are sufferers.
“The event itself was really good, everyone was in such high spirits. The atmosphere was great and all the way around everyone was encouraging each other.
“Even we weren’t the quickest, we started together and we all stuck together as a team throughout the course to finish at the same time.”
@BoltonBulls crossing the line ! Awesome effort #RunInTheDark #Manchester pic.twitter.com/K2J2JyYo8h
— Jarrod Sykes (@Jazza74) November 12, 2014
Last participants finished Manchester’s #RunInTheDark –@boltonbulls wheelchair basketball club. We’ll done! pic.twitter.com/6BELDplhlY
— Lou Robbins (@LouRobbins) November 12, 2014
The Run in the Dark global run series was launched by the Mark Pollock Trust which was set up by Mark Pollock, an adventurer and motivational speaker.
Despite being legally blind from the age of 22, he completed ‘ultra challenges’ across some of the world’s toughest terrains, including a trek to the South Pole.
Ten years later Mark had a tragic accident which left him paralysed from the waist down but refusing to let his accident stop him, he set up the trust to help find a fast-track cure for spinal cord injury.
Great event #RunInTheDark #Manchester with #MarkPollockTrust with @jazza74 @LouRobbins @GreaterSport #RedBullTeam pic.twitter.com/wkf9znSkvG
— Jonny Cowan (@TTJonny) November 13, 2014
Among the participants on the night was former Boyzone member and Coronation Street star Keith Duffy.
Duffy, who is an advocate for the Manchester Life Style Sports Run in the Dark, said: “I’m delighted to support the Mark Pollock Trust and the Run in the Dark race series.
“I think it’s fantastic that thousands runners all over the world are running to help support those that can’t themselves.”
To donate to Bolton Bulls, click here.
Main image courtesy of Lou Robbins, with thanks.
