Alistair Douglass, whose daughters were born at 31 and 27 weeks, will run 100 miles round Ladyburn Lake for Tiny Lives on 10 October. You can run a lap too.

A father whose two daughters were born prematurely will try to run 100 miles in a single day around Ladyburn Lake at Druridge Bay Country Park on Saturday 10 October.

Alistair Douglass is raising money and awareness for Tiny Lives, the charity that supports premature and sick newborn babies and their families. He plans to set off at about 2am and keep lapping the lake until he reaches 100 miles, or 161km. He hopes to finish at around 6pm to 7pm.

He wants company. Anyone can come down to run a lap or a few miles with him, cycle alongside him, or give to his 100 Miles for Tiny Lives fundraising page.

Why he is doing it

The reason is his family. In his own words:

“The reason behind the challenge is very personal to me. Both of my daughters were born prematurely. Maya was born at 31 weeks and Millie at just 27 weeks, and as a family we experienced first-hand the incredible care and support provided to premature babies and their families.”

A premature baby lying in an open incubator on a neonatal unit, with monitor leads and a feeding tube
One of Alistair Douglass's daughters in an incubator on a neonatal unit. Photo: supplied by Alistair Douglass
A premature baby in a knitted hat asleep under a pink blanket in a hospital cot, beside a card reading Today I moved into a cot
One of Alistair Douglass's daughters on the day she moved into a cot. Photo: supplied by Alistair Douglass

It is not his first run for the charity. Last year he completed a 100km run for Tiny Lives.

“With the support of friends, family and the local community we managed to raise a significant amount of money for the charity. This year I wanted to go considerably further.”

A runner in a cap, gloves and a white running jacket resting on a wooden bench outside a pub, beside a woman in a blue Tiny Lives T-shirt holding a small child in a pink coat
A rest stop on a bench outside a pub during last year's 100km run for Tiny Lives. Photo: supplied by Alistair Douglass

How far 100 miles is

He puts the distance in terms most people in the North East will recognise: more than 7.5 times the length of the Great North Run, run continuously in one day.

Timeline of the 100 Miles for Tiny Lives run on 10 October: start at about 2am, repeated laps of Ladyburn Lake, finish hoped for at 6pm to 7pm, 100 miles or 161km in a day
The plan for Saturday 10 October, as Alistair Douglass set it out. Graphic by The Northumberland Post
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On his timings that is roughly 16 to 17 hours on his feet, starting in the dark and running the same loop over and over.

A community effort

He does not want to do it alone:

“I’m also hoping to make the day a community effort. I’d love people to come down to Druridge Bay to support, run a lap or a few miles with me, cycle alongside me, or simply help spread the word and donate if they can.”

“The more people we can reach, the more we can hopefully raise for Tiny Lives.”

What it means for you

If you want to help, you can:

  • go along on Saturday 10 October to Ladyburn Lake at Druridge Bay Country Park, any time from about 2am until he finishes, hoped to be around 6pm to 7pm
  • run a lap or a few miles with him, or cycle alongside
  • donate through his JustGiving page
  • share the page with anyone who has had a baby in neonatal care

The start and finish times are his estimates, so a lap late in the day depends on how the run is going. Anyone heading to the coast for the day can check our guide to parking in Northumberland before they set off.