Sara's Great Northern Marathon Challenge

Radio 2's Sara Cox took on a truly epic test of stamina and spirit, during a five day mission to get Pudsey... to Pudsey!

As of Monday 17 November 2025, Sara's challenge has raised a massive £10.2 million for BBC Children in Need.

And there's still time to donate! All the details of how to make a donation can be found on this page.

Sara started on Monday 10 November in the wild beauty of Kielder Forest on the Scottish borders, finishing in Pudsey on the afternoon of Friday 14 November – a symbolic journey carrying BBC Children in Need’s iconic mascot Pudsey from border to heartland.

Sara's Great Northern Marathon Challenge saw her covering 135 miles on foot across four counties – Northumberland, County Durham, North Yorkshire and West Yorkshire - a distance of five marathons across five days. She ran, jogged and walked through sweeping moorland, steep ridges, and the rolling hills of northern England, with towns, villages, and Radio 2 listeners, supporting her along the way.

This marked Radio 2’s longest-ever challenge in terms of duration, and Sara had to rely entirely on her own two feet – whether walking or jogging - no bikes, no cars, just determination, and a touch of northern grit. All to help raise money for BBC Children in Need.