We ran 200km in a weekend from Salford to Salford — here's why
Two friends ran 200km in memory of a lost friend — turning grief into grit and raising thousands for mental health.
In this week’s newsletter a personal story from Salford Now’s editor, Alfie Mulligan, on his stupendous charity run in the memory of a friend lost to suicide. Alfie and his friend Harry ran from the village of Salford, Oxfordshire to our very own Salford, raising £3,000 for mental health charity MIND (donations can be made here).
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From Salford to Salford: A 200km run of pain, purpose and remembrance
I have often been told that things I want to accomplish are sometimes too grand, or impossible — but never by my friend Harry Warner. We wanted to prove to people once again that the ‘impossible’ is more than possible.
Last weekend, we ran 200km from the village of Salford in Oxfordshire all the way to Salford City, Greater Manchester. What started off as just a joke, a punchline to the previous runs we had done, including running the boundary of Salford, we made into a reality.
Running through six counties, umpteen cities and carrying our bodies through 28 hours of movement, we completed our very own Salford-based ultramarathon. But even as we trotted through the various villages, towns, and cities, passersby would ask the question of ‘why?’
Sometimes in life you don’t need one, but this time we did.
With 115 donors and £3,100 raised, a team of 10 travelling in a convoy with us, and a burning motivation to keep the memory of a good friend alive, there was no way we were going to not do this — or stop.
Life can be viewed as both a romance and a tragedy, depending on one's perspective and the specific circumstances, and last summer I discovered that to be true. In an honest time in my life, I was sitting in my apartment last July, celebrating getting a new job and preparing myself to sit outside in the sun, and bask in my recent achievements after finishing my Journalism degree at the University of Salford.
And then the phone rang. It wasn’t a number I recognised, so I ignored it. It rang again, I ignored it, but it was only until the third time, and this time through a phone call from Snapchat, of all apps, that I decided to answer.
From that moment, my perception of life changed. It was a name, and a voice I hadn’t spoken to since first year, his name was Archie. I knew Archie through my good friend Dan, they were flat mates in their first year of studying in Salford, so I did think it was strange to hear from him nearly three years down the line, perhaps he wanted a catch up beer?
But when he started to speak everything went silent. I don’t remember much from the conversation, more so the tingling feeling in my legs, when I heard the words, “Dan has sadly died, he took his own life, he’s no longer with us, I thought you should know.”
From that moment emotions flooded through me, you are left asking the questions, What? Why? How? Really? When? The answers came back and you realise there is nothing that can prepare you for the news.
I will always remember the first day I met Dan, I was a week late to starting University after the death of my Nan. I was quiet and shy. I sat at the back of the room trying to keep my head down. And of all the seats in the room, sat this young man, who said: “Can I sit at the back with you? I am so tired.”
And from that moment I was glued to him. We went for beers together, we chatted about everything and anything and for a long time. When I thought I was alone at university, and still grieving the loss of my Nan he was my only friend.
Nights out, last minute deadline submissions, and him watching me gain 10kg in weight are all precious memories from my first year of university. As our friendship continued to grow, I always wanted to keep him close, so much so we agreed to live together “no matter what”. Even if it was a house 45 minutes away from the MediaCity Campus.
But throughout this period, I was struggling, both mentally and physically. I was going out into town on my own, getting horrendously drunk most nights, having a diet of kebabs and microwave meals, before heading back out to a local club. I was acting like an idiot all the time, even agreeing to drunkenly razor all my hair off at a random house party ‘for a laugh’ — more so the butt of the joke.
I lost a lot of ‘friends’, but not Dan. He stuck with me, and would talk me out of bed, and make me go to the library to finish out work. I was very lucky.
And after having him to rely on I rediscovered my passion for running, something I hadn’t properly done since I was 17-years-old — and it quickly became addictive once again.
Signing up for the Manchester half-marathon and the London Marathon — I remember Dan sharing how proud he was of me for completing them both — I was hooked. I would spend most mornings running laps of Kersal Wetlands, and most evenings running miles down the Bridgewater Canal.
And as my running improved, my confidence and enjoyment for attending university improved; my social groups got larger, and I neglected the one person who supported me most. For third year, we decided to live with different groups of people and we grew distant over that period; Dan was going to retake second year, and I was moving into third year.
I will always feel guilty for not doing more for him, though if we saw each other in the pub or in a corridor, it would be exactly like old times and the conversations would be exactly how they were at the beginning, only a true friend has that ability.
So when we got the call and friends from around Salford began to learn what had happened, we started to gather together to talk about the memories of Dan and share our thoughts and feelings. I felt sick with guilt, a burden that has hung on to me for sometime, and people often say ‘you shouldn’t feel like that’, but for a long time my world became very grey.
So I picked up running.
For a while I ran on my own, as it was a great way of being able to escape from everything, and everyone asking how I was, how I was feeling, and really trying to avoid the subject matter. I always felt that the further and further I ran, the further I would get from the problem. But it wasn’t going away — and you can’t expect it too.
But when myself and fellow University of Salford graduate Harry Warner did the Salford boundary run, it gave us an opportunity to talk. It was a six and half hour run after all. But we talked about things that I hadn’t really been able to speak about previously. And when we completed that run, I was left with a feeling of pride, but also relief.
So when I approached the idea of running from Salford to Salford to Harry for the mental health charity Mind, there was no hesitation and after six weeks of ‘training’ we got on our way.
The next time you think something on a map looks small, it isn’t. 200km or 124 miles, is a bloody long way. And with a target of 62 miles or 100km a day, running from Salford in Oxfordshire to the Salford we all call home was a tight schedule.
Nonetheless we started our run in high spirits leading our way through the country roads of Chipping Norton and North Oxfordshire as we embarked on a once in a lifetime journey at 6:34am. We navigated through our phone GPS and a team on the radio surveying our every step — and we were able to make good progress, with the intention of stopping every 10km for a drink, a quick catch up and a light snack.
Running throughout the day on the Saturday, we were greeted by many smiling faces, and praised for our determination and spirit. We had a goal each day of getting to 50km before we could even think about eating a proper meal, which later became 72km.
Happy in our minds, we trotted up the country back towards our home. As Harry kept reminding me “Every step we take is a countdown to the end.” We travelled light, with our cars carrying luggage and supplies: only a portable charger, phone and my bucket hat full of messages from family and friends carried us along.
And as we marched through Birmingham and into Staffordshire to end the first day we were full of hope. Harry struggled more than I did on the first day, but with a change of shoes, a few packets of jelly, four pack of Lucozade and a few hours of music we were able to complete 100km in 12 hours. At 10:30pm at night we celebrated with a Solero and a litre of Coca Cola.
I must say I have never eaten or acted like a runner but that was the first time in my life I stretched after a run, and attempted a cold bath, quickly followed by a hot shower.
After some solid rest, and a motivational video from friends back home wishing us luck, we reminded ourselves the celebrations couldn’t begin just yet. On Sunday morning, at 11:30am, we set off again. My knee blew 45km (28 miles) into the second day. I so desperately wanted to quit.
And as we passed Stoke-on-Trent, my knee was wrapped up and covered in bandages, it was clear it wasn’t going to be as smooth sailing as the day before. For the next 10 hours, we persevered with our heads down, combining walking and running, ibuprofen our best friend. And as we reached Congleton McDonalds 66km (41.5 miles) in, I didn’t know how much more I had left.
But as we walked up this dark country road, I began reading the messages on the hat from donors, supporters, loved ones, and friends: we couldn’t finish like that; we couldn’t let Dan down now. So, for the next 8 miles or 2 hours, I led Harry through dark country roads — with only a torch and two hi-vis jackets making us known. As we continued to climb hills, and see the glow of the Manchester lights, only 15 miles away.
As we began to run back into civilisation, being reunited with our team properly and seeing houses, even the morning milkman, we knew we could do it. At this point only one song was in my ears: ‘Daniel’ by Elton John.
We passed Old Trafford Cricket Ground, the Salford boundary almost within reach. Our pace increased and as we came round the corner of White City we saw the finish line. A dozen or so people were waiting for us, at 5:30am, in support of the idea, the charity, of Dan.
When I crossed the bridge, and saw a collection of friends clapping us in at 5:30am in the morning an indescribable emotion poured out. We had done it and no one can take that away from us.
All the pain, all the suffering, all the moments of doubt, all the hours of running, the time spent alone with just my thoughts — it was over. We had done it for Dan. I crossed the line falling into Harry’s arms and spent the next five minutes crying on the floor, just as many people began their commute to work. I felt pats on my back, which I assumed were people congratulating us, but heard no noise.
Most people would say ‘I was in a world of my own’ or ‘just taking it in’ but in that moment of pure silence I would prefer people to know, that for a brief moment he was with me, just me and him back together again in Salford, and just like the run, no one can ever take that way from me.
I will never hear from or see him again — but he is always there. And as long as people remember the run, or look at my future ultramarathon tattoo or think about what myself and Harry Warner did that day, no one can forget about Dan Sugrue.
Rest in Peace mate. I hope we have done you proud.
Three siblings turning the loss of their mum into positive action with second annual fundraiser
Three siblings from Salford are hosting their second annual fundraiser in Walkden in memory of their mum.
The trio of Ashley, Jessica and Beth will be hosting their charity fundraiser at the Walkden Legion on Sunday 25 May. Read more here.
Eccles group to tackle the Three Peaks Challenge for mental health charity
A group of men from Eccles are set to take on the Three Peaks Challenge, aiming to raise £3,000 for a local mental health charity.
The group of 16 men will be taking on the challenge in Yorkshire on Saturday 21 July, and will be aiming to complete the challenge in 10 hours.
The fundraiser will be aiming to raise for the local Eccles charity Cleaner and Dryer (CAD). Read more here.
New pedestrian crossings in Salford to enhance road safety
Two new Puffin Crossings have been installed to improve road safety and enhance pedestrian access across the city.
The installation of the pedestrian crossing on the A572 and B5231 was put in place in response to community feedback and a ward councillors-led initiative backed by local residents. Read more here.
Police appeal for information after young motorcyclists die in collision in Salford
Salford police are appealing for information after two teenagers died in a collision last night on Lower Broughton Road.
It is believed the male teenagers were riding on the same motorbike at 8.20pm on Thursday 22 May, when it was in collision with a silver Vauxhall Viva as they attempted to turn into Clarence Street.
Emergency services attended but sadly a 16-year-old and a 17-year-old were later pronounced dead in hospital. Read more here.
What’s On in Salford this week
🐉 UK Chinese Dragon Boat Race - The exciting boat racing will return to Salford Quays this weekend, with festival being the fast growing event including amateur team dragon boat racing from local residents.
🎭 The Pauline Quirke Academy of Performing Arts (PQA) are delighted to be performing Legally Blonde Jr at the Lowry this weekend on Sunday 25th May.
🏉 Salford Red Devils travel to face Wakefield Trinity as they continue their search for their second league victory.
Our photo of the week: Biological sciences department frog diver
This University of Salford image shows a biological sciences department frog diver in the River Irwell in November 1971.
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