There is something about elephants that I just love. It maybe their sheer size or perhaps it is the fact that when you look into their eyes you see centuries of wisdom, soulfulness and compassion there.

Which makes it all the harder to bear that we as humans can be so inherently cruel and nonchanlant about the role that animals play in our lives.

That we treat these truly majestic and magnificant creatures with such disdain makes my heart ache.

As someone who loves to challenge herself it wasn't a difficult decision to make to raise money to bring a level of awareness to the needless way we poach, hunt, murder and capture elephants to use for our own senseless gratification.

I am raising money for two equally worthy charities that do their upmost to reddress the balance.

The first charity is the one here on this page. The David Sheldrick Trust is based in the Tsavo National Park in Kenya. The largest refuge for wild animals in Africa its work is focussed on rescuing and rehabilitating orphaned elephants and rhinos.

Baby elephants are exclusively milk fed for two years and like humans don't reach adulthood until they are twenty years old so the process of reintroducing them to the wild is a long one.

Much love and dedication goes into the care of these orphans so much so that even after they return to the wild herds in the park they come back to 'visit' the remaining orphans and their human families. Elephants truly don't forget.

My second charity it The Elephant Sanctuary in Tennesse, USA - fundraising page can be found here. The work of The Elephant Sanctuary centres on rescuing circus and zoo elephants and giving them refuge and a place of safety to live out their lives. The elephants are returned to a herd and community living with their own kind - some of them haven't seen another elephant for decades - and human contact is limited to the absolute minimum.

The staff give them back their dignity and a place to live a safe life and to simply be an elephant again.

My challenge has to be big to live up to these gentle giants and I hope what I have come up with fits the bill.

My 'Barefoot and Raw' ultramarathon challenge will see me running three races in 2013

A Marathon - 26.2 miles

A 50 mile ultra marathon and

A 100 mile ultramarathon

I will run and train for these races barefoot (or in vibrams) and fueled solely on raw food.

You can follow my training at my blog here

I hope you will get behind my challenge and support me in raising money and awareness for the elephants.

You can donate to both charities of just pick one, its up to you.

I am just one person with no special talents but I have my two feet with which I can run and together with your help we can make a difference.

Namaste and hugs

Helen x

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