Five Burnley College employees to walk 500,000 steps in just one day

Duncan Wilson (39), Mark Smith (38), Declan Richards (32), Ethan Whittaker (25) and Eamon Doughty (17) will be aiming to rack up 100,000 steps each during the energy-sapping challenge, which takes place this weekend.

The formidable five will be setting off from Burscough at just after midnight on Saturday. Their gruelling 50-mile journey will run alongside the Leeds and Liverpool Canal, and finish in Burnley town centre outside Casual Minds Matter – the mental health charity they’re raising money for.

Mark said: "The walk came about after we had recently completed the 3 Yorkshire Peaks. This was a tough challenge in itself but one that improved us as a team as we helped each other through with moral support, much like the CMM charity.

"On this walk, a question was asked on whether it would be possible to do 100,000 steps in a day and the only real way to know the answer would be by attempting to do it. We all agreed that it needed to be as flat as possible and agreed that the Leeds and Liverpool Canal would be best.“We have chosen CMM as we have had first hand experience, or have friends or family who have struggled with their mental health and see it far too often amongst males within our age brackets. We are hoping to break down the stigma around men talking about their feelings and struggles in life.”

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