Story
<p>Some say it's a mid-life crisis, others say it's pure madness, but at the tender age of 50, it's now or never. I did think about buying a Porsche and learning chat up lines in Eastern European, but plumped for this safer option instead, mainly due to Mrs C's passion for domestic violence should the Eastern European thing come to her attention...</p>
<p> </p>
<p><strong>FOUR challenges in THREE months:</strong></p>
<p> </p>
<p><strong>UPDATE UPDATE UPDATE.......3 DOWN 1 TO GO.....BUT ITS A BIG ONE!</strong></p>
<p><strong>Hell Runner Down South...completed course of about 11 miles in 1 hour, 17 mins and 29 seconds....came 52nd overall out of about 2500 and 1st in the 50+ age group but not sure I really want that honour.....</strong></p>
<p><strong>UPDATE UPDATE UPDATE.....2 DOWN 2 TO GO..</strong></p>
<p><strong>Mens Health- Battersea Survival of the Fittest complete in 50 minutes and 26 seconds. Finished 350th out of 7000 so top 5%....Piece of p...! Bring on Hell Runner...</strong></p>
<p>UPDATE - 1 down, 3 to go. Dublin Marathon complete in 3 hours, 24 minutes, 30 seconds. "To Be Sure"</p>
<p><strong><br></strong></p>
<p><strong>1) Dublin Marathon: 31st October 2011</strong></p>
<p><a href="http://dublinmarathon.ie/">http://dublinmarathon.ie/</a></p>
<p>26.4 miles - Target time 3 hours 45 minutes</p>
<p>(Additional challenge . . . 10 pints of Guinness in Dublin's finest boozer straight after the event)</p>
<p> </p>
<p><strong>2) London's Men's Health - Survival of the Fittest: 12th November 2011</strong></p>
<p><a href="http://www.mhsurvival.co.uk/page63.asp">http://www.mhsurvival.co.uk/page63.asp</a></p>
<p>An unforgiving 10km course with obstacles every kilometer.</p>
<p>Target - Not sure as never done it before, but guess to get round without injury would be good.</p>
<p> </p>
<p><strong>3) Hell Runner: 27th November 2011</strong></p>
<p><a href="http://www.hellrunner.co.uk/hell-down-south/">http://www.hellrunner.co.uk/hell-down-south/</a></p>
<p>Punishment of the soul. Redemption of the mind.</p>
<p>Approximately 13 miles of pure running "Hell", but I guess the clue is in the event's name . . .</p>
<p>Target - Under 2 hours for an old fella like me would be OK I reckon.</p>
<p><strong><br></strong></p>
<p><strong>4) The Big One . . . TOUGH GUY: 29th January 2012</strong></p>
<p><a href="http://www.toughguy.co.uk/Tough_Guy_THE_Event.php">http://www.toughguy.co.uk/Tough_Guy_THE_Event.php</a><strong><br></strong></p>
<p>An 8 mile run in hilly muddy fields, including 2 miles of the toughest and quite frankly SCARIEST assault course in the world.</p>
<p>Including . . . 15m high Tarzan ropes, barbed wire crawl, 2m high fire pits, electrical shock field, shoe-sucking mud, dark, narrow, water-filled tunnels, murky infested freezing water - in fact, bloody water everywhere - colossal wall climbs, huge cargo nets etc etc.</p>
<p>All this after camping the night before in Wolverhampton on what is bound to be the coldest, wettest night of the winter. You just know it will be, don't you? The organisers reckon it's <strong>the toughest event of its kind in the world</strong> . . . I'll let you know.</p>
<p>Target - Not to die would be good. I'll also aim not to get an injury or illness that ruins the ski season.</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>The intensity and demand of each challenge gets tougher and tougher. Will I survive? (I probably will, but in what physical shape is anyone's guess).</p>
<p> </p>
<p>For my <strong>FIFTH</strong> challenge, I need your help please. It would spur me on greatly during the grueling hours of training (which includes wild swimming in local lakes and ponds) and throughout each event to know that I'm raising money to help those less fortunate.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>I've chosen to raise money for the official Tough Guy charity: <strong>Fund For Heroes</strong> <a href="http://www.nearestplacetoheaven.co.uk/Help_Our_Heroes.html">http://www.nearestplacetoheaven.co.uk/Help_Our_Heroes.html </a></p>
<p><span class="auto-style37">The Sanctuary is dedicated to providing training in a variety of jobs suitable for lost limb or severely disabled soldiers returning from any wars or disasters (or having sustained injury at their beloved Tough Guy™).</span></p>
<p><span class="auto-style37"><br></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">I'm just asking if you would give up your cappuccino, pint or beer or glass of wine for the day, and donate £2.50 for Fund For Heroes. If you drink a bottle of wine a day of course the equivalent £s would be most appreciated! If you drink 2 bottles a day . . . well, you get the picture.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><strong>On behalf of all those who will benefit from your generosity, I thank you from the very bottom of my muddy trainers.</strong></p>