Will Dooley has played a gig each night of his challenge, which began in Liverpool and will wind up in Hull on Saturday
Will Dooley during his epic 130-mile run from Liverpool to Hull(Image: Submitted)
A musician taking on a huge running and gigging challenge says he feels “on top of the world” ahead of his final 20km run from Brough to Hull. The final stretch will complete an epic 130-mile journey which began in Liverpool and saw Will Dooley and his team run the entire width of the country. Will is raising money for the Teenage Cancer Trust in memory of his friend David Kay, who lost his cancer battle 11 years ago.
Will has been playing a gig each evening along the way and will top off his challenge’s final day with a two-hour set at Molly Mangan’s on Newland Avenue in Hull on Saturday. The gig is completely free but donations are welcomed for the Teenage Cancer Trust, which helped David during his illness.
Speaking on Thursday from Selby, while the country was experiencing the peak of its latest heatwave, Will said: “My body is sore but the spirit is strong. I had a moment yesterday where I was in the heat and it was quite intense. I thought how I would love to have had Dave doing this with me, and another voice came into my head saying ‘yeah he is’.
“The first couple of days were logistical problem solving. We’ve never done anything like this. We are all just good lads with a great work ethic and we thought we’d have a crack at it. As everyone settled into the roles, that’s when I could turn off that logical side and open myself up to the more emotional side of it. It’s almost like we were watching it happen and now I’m actually living it.”
On Saturday, Will and his teammates Tom Turney and Dave Duffy, will begin the final leg of their run at the Morrison’s car park on Welton Road in Brough. They plan to leave for their final 20km stretch at 12pm and are inviting anyone who wants to to join them, whether to take part in the run or just cheer them on along their route. And the hot weather hasn’t put the trio off, despite Will saying he looks like a “Drumstick Squashie” – a reference to the pink and white sweet. “There’s no stopping this tour now. I’ve got plenty of water and sunscreen,” he said.
Their challenge will finish at Paddy Mangan’s, then later that night Will will play his final gig of the tour at Molly Mangan’s. The gig runs from 9pm to 11pm and is free – but the venue is expected to reach capacity so those hoping to attend are advised to get down early. The set list will feature a mix of his own songs and some “crowd pleasers”.
Will said: “The gigs have been unreal. We played Selby last night, and landed at this local pub, where we were on after the quiz. The vibes were unreal. A couple of workers had finished early and it was full of characters. It was class. The final gig is free entry, but make sure you get yourselves there because it will fill up.”
Jack Mangan, co-owner of Molly Mangan’s, said: “Will’s a real favourite at Molly’s, so we’re buzzing to be part of this and to have him finishing the challenge with us. Running that many miles and playing gigs along the way is completely mad in the best possible way, and it’s all for a really good cause. We’re proud to be supporting him and we want to make sure he gets the welcome he deserves when he finally gets through these doors.
“Hopefully he’s still got enough left in the tank for one more big gig – and we’ll make sure there’s a pint waiting for him at the end. We’ll also have QR codes around the venue on the night for anyone who wants to donate and help him raise even more for Teenage Cancer Trust.”
To donate, visit Will’s Just Giving page. Follow Will on Instagram and TikTok @willdooleyofficial using the hashtag #Miles2Mic
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