Story
Just to let you all know that I'm back safe after some pretty tricky conditions.
Cheers,
Chas
Thanks for visiting my fundraising page.
A Walk in the Park
What’s the plan?
Twenty years ago I ran the “Welsh 1000”; this year, it is my aim to repeat it!
The “Welsh 1000” is a race across the roof of Snowdonia, starting near sea level and finishing on the summit ofSnowdon(the walk off afterwards is optional). So the “park” is theSnowdoniaNational Parkbut it is more of a run than a walk.
What’s the detail?
The race route starts at Aber on the coast and summits the twin-1000m-peaks of the Carneddau - Llewelyn and Dafydd - andSnowdon’s Carnedd Ugain and Yr Wyddfa. In between, it (or I) will cross the Glyders, though these are too small to count, reaching just 999m! I’ve entered in the fell-runner category: this means I don’t have to carry those heavy walker’s boots – but I won’t get as long to do it!
You can find out more about the race at the running club that organises the event: www.gorphwysfa.org.uk
You’ve done it before, so what’s the beef?
A couple of months after first doing the Welsh 1000 I came off worst in an argument with a bridge section undertaking a Military Aid for the Civil Community (MACC) Task. My leg was so badly broken the medics told me that I probably wouldn’t walk again – and would certainly never run.
That was twenty years ago, but last year, after 5 years of training I proved them wrong and ran the Snowdonia Marathon. Although it’s a longer course, to be fair it isn’t half the race: its two peaks are both under 400m. The Welsh 1000 climbs up to 1000m on two occasions. Where there is tarmac for most of the marathon, on the Welsh 1000, in some places, there isn’t even a footpath. Its estimated that the ascent totals over 8,000 feet!
The Target
I’m hoping you’ll help me raise over £1,000. Once again, I’ll be donating all sponsor-money to Steps charity - “we don’t take walking for granted”. They help families affected by lower-limb conditions. You can find out what they do at www.steps-charity.org.uk.
When you choose to donate, you’ll be giving the gift of mobility that will create joy and empower independence in both children and adults. The charity works both here in theand abroad.
It’s just worth adding that beyond the satisfaction of (hopefully) attaining this personal goal, I won’t benefit from the fundraising. The charity requests that all fundraisers state that I / we do not represent them.
So How’s It Going?
I’ve suffered injury after injury since the start of March. At the end of April I was beginning to seriously panic: I need to rest, to recover, but I also need to train. Eventually there was nothing left, but to commit to taking 3 weeks off training. So I took a gamble and posted the entry that had been sat around since the start of the year. I’m now mended (touch wood) and have just returned, uninjured from training in Snowdonia - so there is hope!
How can I help?
My target is to raise £1,000. I hope you’ll help me to meet this. You can sponsor me here - or if you see me around, I have a sponsor sheet if you prefer. You’ll forgive me if I ask: you don’t get anything without asking. You can always say no. I won’t take offence and don’t hold grudges!
What you’ll get
Last year I wrote a short, illustrated report on the Snowdonia Marathon. To say it went down well is an understatement. So I plan to do this again. In it, I’ll describe the route, terrain and weather – everything you’d expect from a Hydrologist working in Mapping and Data. You’ll also get an inside understanding of the event and my experiences. It should be worth paying a couple of quid just to find out what all this is about, without having to run it yourself. Rather like a tour of hell from the comfort of your own armchair…
So Please
Give generously… or just ask me if you want to find out more.
Please make a donation to Steps!
Please note that a small charge is made by www.justgiving.com for donations made through their website. I can only be held liable for donations made in person, in the event that, for whatever reason, I do not successfully complete the course in the time allowed.