MORE than 150 men braved the weather for the third annual male-only fundraising race in York.

R U Taking The P is a 5km run set up in 2010 by York hairdresser Brian Hughes, and backed by Run In England and the North Yorkshire Athletics Network Last year’s race saw almost 300 men take part in the race, which raises awareness of male specific cancers, such as prostate and testicular cancer, and raised more than £15,000 for Yorkshire Cancer Research, taking the total in just two years to almost £30,000.

Brian, who will be carrying the Olympic torch through Selby on Tuesday, organised the first race after a good friend underwent a prostatectomy only weeks after losing his wife to cancer.

He said: “I suppose most people are feeling the pinch with the economy, but it’s still a cheap run. It costs £17 to take part, and just about £100 to put the whole race on – I can’t imagine there are any other races that cost that little.

“Since we started doing this, I’ve noticed a lot more awareness in the press, public and community. I’ve had a lot of feedback over the years, which has been good, but it’s just about getting people talking.”

On Sunday, a total of 159 men took part in the race, which coincided with Father’s Day for the first time, and set off from Rowntree Park for a 5km route over the Millennium, Skeldergate and Blue Bridges, through Tower Gardens and St George’s Field, up to Clifford’s Tower and in two loops round the park.