Four lads from Stockport are taking on a 24-hour ultramarathon to raise money for The Christie, the cancer research and care centre. 

On 24 August, James and Joe Madeira, Joel 'JJ' Kinsella and Joel Walsh - aka 'Team Lochedin' - will take on the Loch Ness 24 challenge. 

This involves completing as many laps of Loch Ness as possible in 24 hours.

Each lap is 7km. The challenge works as a relay - the lads aim to have at least one team member running throughout the entire 24-hour period. 

Their goal is to collectively run 200km - around 29 laps of the loch. 

The friends, all aged 23, met at Cheadle Hulme School, and have been best friends ever since.

All of them have some connection with The Christie, with either friends or family having had treatment there. 

Urquhart Castle, the romantic medieval ruin, is one of the sites along the Loch Ness trail (Image - Daniel Kraft / Wikimedia Commons)

Speaking of the upcoming challenge, James said: "We decided to take on the Loch Ness 24 to show our support for the incredible work of The Christie Charity and also to challenge ourselves to our physical limits. 

"Whilst we cannot fully comprehend the tough journeys faced by cancer patients, this ultra marathon pushes us out of our comfort zones and symbolises the physical and mental determination and resilience shown by the strong individuals supported by The Christie. 

"Our close friend Cam, plus mine and Joe's Auntie Annie are both undergoing treatment at the moment, so the chance to take on this adventure together, makes it even more special."

Speaking of preparedness, he said: "Two of us hadn't ever really run further than from the sofa to the fridge, so it's fair to say a few eyebrows were raised when we first told people we were each planning to run an ultra-marathon in Scotland."

Still, the quartet have been training hard in the meantime, running around Manchester and the Welsh Countryside to prepare. 

The Falls of Foyers, another Loch Ness landmark (Image - Carol Walker / Wikimedia Commons)

 "We're feeling a mix of excitement and nerves about taking on the Loch Ness 24," says James. "The idea of running through the night with little to no sleep is definitely not something we're looking forward to. It's going to be tough, but the cause is worth it.

"We feel that we have a duty to raise money for this incredible hospital and play a tiny part in contributing towards an amazing charity and foundation."

 Josh Hughff, mass participation officer at The Christie Charity, said: "We're incredibly grateful to James, Joe, Joel, and JJ for taking on the Loch Ness 24 challenge in support of The Christie Charity. 

"The determination and passion they've shown in preparing for this ultra-endurance event is truly inspiring. We know it won't be easy, but their efforts will make a huge difference in the lives of our patients and their families. 

"We wish them the best of luck and hope they enjoy every moment of this adventure!"

To support Team Lochedin, visit the JustGiving page here: https://justgiving.com/page/teamlochedinrun24hforthechristie

~

(Urquhart Castle image by Daniel Kraft, licensed under Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0)

(Falls of Foyers image by Carol Walker, licensed under Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 2.0)

~

Free from clickbait, pop-up ads and unwanted surveys, Stockport Nub News is a quality online newspaper for our town.

To get our top stories in your inbox each week, subscribe to our free weekly newsletter HERE.

Please consider following Stockport Nub News on Facebook or Twitter