Local runner successfully completes 199 Steps challenge

Karl Wittering, from Fylingthorpe, engaged in the epic fitness test on Sunday.

Setting off at 4am, the 63-year-old ran non-stop for 12 hours and 54 minutes raising thousands of money for charity.

Karl said: "I didn't actually run 199 times. Someone miscounted and when I looked at the marker's sheet I found out I did 204!

"It was an absolutely great day. At about 7 in the morning it got quite hard and all day I felt worse then better, worse then better but the crowd of people who came out to support me was fantastic. I couldn't have done it without them."

Karl had initially planned to fundraise for the Whitby Wildlife Sanctuary but having managed to raise much more than he thought, he now wants to split the money to support a second cause.

He added: "I'm over the moon with the money raised. I only thought I would raise £150 and I raised nearly £2,000!

"Once people started to come out during the day I received so many donations. People were jogging up and down with me handing me £10 notes, £20 notes. I couldn't believe it.

"I haven't decided what other charity I'm going to give the money to but it will be another worthy cause."

Despite having finished the challenge less than 48 hours ago, Karl is already thinking of what he can do next.

"I don't know what to do next because I don't know what can top that.

"These challenges are much more about your mental strength than your physical abilities.

"I've realised that everyone is more capable of what they think they are."