'Super dad' prepares for epic 207 mile run

A 'super' dad and Northern Gas Networks employee from East Ardsley is about to embark on his most gruelling challenge to date, in order to raise funds for the charity that helped his deaf son.
 
Dave McNamara, 38, is preparing to run an epic 207 mile coast to coast route from Hornsea to Southport in just five days.
 
The feat will see Dave raise vital funds for the National Deaf Children's Society (NDCS) - the charity which helped his son Evan, who has been deaf since birth, plus Evan's school, East Ardsley Primary.
 
Dave, who is a contracts manager for Northern Gas Networks, the region's gas distribution company, has already run from Wakefield to Wigan over Saddleworth Moor and completed a 128 mile, three day run along the Leeds-Liverpool canal, to raise money for the NDCS.
 
The 207 mile run, starting on June 1 and following the Trans-Pennine Trail, is by far the most arduous challenge the dad of two has taken on - and will mark the end of a trilogy of challenges the dynamic dad has set himself.
 
Dave has been preparing by running 15 miles to work every day - Northern Gas Networks Thorpe Park offices in Leeds. He'll also be topping up his energy reserves during the run by eating jam sandwiches - a pick-me-up which Dave swears by.
 
"Like all good trilogies, I've saved the best until last" said Dave. "This will be by far the longest and toughest sporting challenge I've ever taken on, but I've been training hard and am confident that I'll make it. I plan to keep myself well fuelled with jam sandwiches. I don't know why they work, but they do!
 
"The NDCS and East Ardsley's Primary have both helped to ensure that Evan has grown into a happy, confident seven year old who is thriving at school. My family owes them so much, which is why I keep putting myself through all this pain. As always, Evan will be my inspiration on the run. He will keep me going when things get tough." 
 
Dave lives on Moor Knoll Lane with his wife Michelle and his two sons. Evan was born 15 weeks premature on Christmas day, and had to fight for life on a ventilator. He pulled through, but was diagnosed with deafness.
 
Thanks to the help of the NDCS, the family learnt to cope, and Evan is now happily settled at a mainstream school - East Ardsley Primary.
 
Rachael Wright, Dave's manager at Northern Gas Networks, said: "Dave is a real inspiration to all of us. He combines a demanding full time job with caring for his deaf son, and training for the kind of sporting challenges that would send most people weak at the knees. He's an amazing bloke, and we'll all be cheering for him."
 
ENDS