Radio 2 presenter Sara Cox has kicked off her most demanding mission yet — the Great Northern Marathon Challenge, a five-day, 135-mile trek from Kielder Forest to Pudsey in Leeds, all in aid of BBC Children In Need.
The 50-year-old broadcaster was met with the sounds of a bagpiper and the sight of alpacas as she began the journey on Monday morning. Locals gathered to wave her off as Stuart Todd from Morpeth Pipe Band played, while Andrea Foote from the Morpeth Riding for the Disabled Association sounded the horn to mark the start.
Speaking live to Scott Mills on the Radio 2 Breakfast Show, Sara admitted she had been “so nervous in the buildup” but felt unexpectedly calm as she finally set off. “Now we’re actually here and doing it, I feel good. The rain isn’t great — it’s heavy drizzle, and my toes are already soggy — but I’m from Bolton, so I’m used to a bit of wet weather,” she laughed.
After months of intensive training, Sara is carrying only a lightweight 270-gram Pudsey Bear backpack on her symbolic journey to deliver the BBC’s iconic mascot “from border to heartland.” She explained, “I’m going to be running when I can and striding along the rest of the time. I might stumble, limp or even weep, but I’ll get myself to Pudsey by Friday.”
With no bikes, cars, or other transport allowed, Sara will rely solely on her own two feet as she crosses four counties — Northumberland, Durham, North Yorkshire, and West Yorkshire. Along the way, she’s been promised plenty of surprises and encouragement from listeners tuning in to Radio 2 throughout the week.
As she reached Northumberland, she was greeted by a group of alpacas — an unexpected but heartwarming moment that perfectly summed up the quirky spirit of the challenge. “Pudsey’s even got a little rain mac, which is adorable,” she smiled. “I don’t know what state he’ll be in when we get to Leeds, but we’ll look after each other.”
