A LOCKWOOD man has stepped into the breach after his girlfriend had to cancel a charity run.
Andy Goff will do the Great North Run in September, after partner Bobbi Clarke was told she is expecting their first child and cannot run.
But he will do so only hours after completing a gruelling bike ride of almost 300 miles.
Andy, 32, had planned to do the double Coast to Coast bike ride days before the Great North Run and then turn up in Newcastle to watch Bobbi, 31, line up for the race.
But her condition means she has had to pull out, so he will do the bike ride, grab a few hours’ sleep and then line up for the 13.1mile race!
Andy said: “Bobbi was gutted when she was told her condition meant she should not run, but then realised it was for a very good reason. It is a bitter-sweet pill.
“But she had set her heart on raising money for a charity close to her heart so I offered my services.”
The couple are raising money for the Spinal Injuries Association.
The charity proved invaluable when Bobbi’s sister Kim developed serious spinal problems and had to undergo painful treatment and a long convalescence.
Andy, who is employed as a support worker for voluntary groups, said: “I offered to take Bobbi’s place.
“I was already planning the Coast 2 Coast cycle race and back again and had booked a hotel in Newcastle to go and watch Bobbi run.
“It is a challenging bike ride and I plan to do it over several days, with anything up to 85 miles a day.
“It is a tough route across the highest part of the Pennines but I hope to do a John O’Groats to Lands End ride next year so it was meant to be good training.
“It is hard enough to get people to become sponsors nowadays with the economy as it is so I hoped that doing something really challenging will help them decide to back me.”
Andy will be joined on part of the cycle ride by his friend, Craig Etherington, and cheered on in the road race by Bobbi.
To sponsor Andy you can text the code BVNE62 followed by the amount, or log on to www.justgiving.com/Andy-Goff0.
