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World War II veteran Bill Cooksey stole the show at the 2023 Great North Run.
before the race. “I’ve been up here 30 years and always walked, and when I heard about the Great North Run, I thought, ‘I’ll be able to do that surely,’ because there’s the additional impetus of the NHS.
Actually, I don’t think I would have done it if it wasn’t of benefit to the NHS,” he said. The Great North Run saw torrential rainfall following days of high heat in the U.K., leaving many runners stuck walking further than anticipated after floods hit roads and the Metro system. Despite the challenges, Cooksey braved the conditions and completed his goal to raise money for the NHS. “I am glad I have done it,” he told thePat Chambers, the charity development manager for the trust, praised Cooksey’s efforts after the event: “What a hero Bill Cooksey is. He continued walking through a thunderstorm to become a record breaker, completing it in just over five hours and 40 minutes. We are so proud of him.”