Footballer turned endurance athlete and childhood cancer activist Ashley Cain is currently part way through a world's first challenge, an ‘Ultraman’, in which he is crossing Britain three times from top to bottom - once running, once cycling and once kayaking - totalling 3,000 miles in three months.
33-year-old Ashley is undertaking the mammoth task to raise money for The Azaylia Foundation, a childhood cancer charity he and ex-partner Safiyya Vorajee set up following the death of their eight-month-old daughter Azaylia from Myeloid Leukaemia.
On Friday, as he travelled up the UK, Ashley arrived at Barton Grange Marina in Preston where he was greeted by supporters, including Salwick local John Robinson.
John and his wife Nici similarly founded the childhood cancer charity Thumbs up Charlie following the loss of their five year-old son Charlie from a brain tumour in 2021.
After a well needed overnight rest, Ashley, joined by John and other companions, then embarked from Preston, ready to continue his impressive challenge.
Before setting off Ashley shouted to the crowd: “You think the longest run of Ultraman yet ain’t gonna get smashed today for Charlie, for Azaylia, of course it is! Agh let’s go champs! Come on, get it today. We are going to run good today. We’re going to smile today. We’re going to make every person we see on that journey feel better than before they seen us today. We are going to make Charlie proud today, we are going to make Azaylia proud today and we are going to fight for our children who have cancer today and we are going to smash it.”
Ashley is now way into Scotland on his journey but following his time in Preston, he told the Post: “There is something magical about people coming together for a great cause. How amazing it was to run with John Robinson and all the community supporting The Azaylia Foundation and Thumbs Up For Charlie. We ran united in a common cause, fighting to raise awareness and fighting to raise funds. The community in Preston gave us the warmest welcome and helped us reach a new total of £30k in donations towards the Azaylia Foundation PhD Fund programme - what an incredibly emotional, inspiring and powerful day. Let’s Go Champs!
Take a look at pictures from Ashley’s time in Preston below:
1. Ashley Cain in Preston
23 pictures as Ashley Cain brings his ‘Ultraman’ challenge to Preston.
4. Taking a moment
Ashley is completing the challenge in memory of his late daughter Azaylia