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My story

 

Thinking of doing a spot of exercise?  A little run maybe?  Or possibly even a marathon?  Yes – let’s think about a marathon.  30 years ago only beardy weirdies ran marathons.  Now the London Marathon gets 120,000 applications every year.  Of the 30,000 who take part on a fine Sunday in April, most can’t walk the next day and are reduced to shuffling downstairs on their bottoms.  It’s agony, but you’ve done it.

Well, now think of doing it all again on the Monday.  Feet are blistered, joints ache.  But that’s no excuse.  Up you get.  26.2 miles.  Again.  Hour after hour.  Mile after Mile.

Now Tuesday.  By now your feet really are in need of a rest (probably a doctor), but … it’s Marathon Day, again.

And Wednesday too.  Thursday you get off for good behaviour, then on Friday – guess what?  Another bloody Marathon .  And on Saturday, finally, the final, final Marathon .  And finally, you have finally, finally finished.  You have run 150 miles, or thereabouts.

BUT …

Now let’s assume that for the whole marathon week of Marathons, you don’t just wear your favourite T-shirt and lucky socks, but instead you are carrying a rucksack weighing in at roughly 25lbs, or 12 kg.  That’s a helluvaweight to lug around a Marathon course, hour after hour, day after day.

In the rucksack will be everything you need for the whole week.  Food.  Pots and Pans.  Sleeping Bag.  Calor Gas.  Medicine.  Toothpaste.  Maps.  A few extra clothes.  Everything except for water and a very crude tent, which are supplied.

So, to recap.  A week of six Marathons weighted down by a huge rucksack.  (I know 25lbs doesn’t sound so bad, but you try it after four hours.)

BUT – wait up.  You’re probably thinking London or whatever, with nice flat pavements and temperate spring-time climate.  How about…how about…how about running 6 marathons in a row carrying 25lbs over one of the world’s legendary mountain ranges?  Running up mountains.  Running down mountains.  Running up and down mountains.  Running.  Mountains.  Hmmm.

OK.  So now we get to the REAL challenge.  Now we get to the real clincher.  Now we get to the essential, awful heart of the matter.  Let’s run 6 marathons in a row, carrying all your food and clothing, up and down mountains – at an altitude of almost 4,000 meters.  That’s 14,000 feet.  That’s where the air is thin, where it’s hard to breath when you’re sitting still, where temperatures plummet at night, in conditions so tough that not even insects live there.  (“Yes; let’s!”)

And now for the pièce de resistance.  Let’s run 6 marathons over 7 days carrying all our kit up and down mountains at 14,000 feet up in the Andes, and let’s do it in a 7 foot, 20lb Rhino Suit.  Pièce de resistance or coup de grace?  You decide.

The question now must be “WHY”.  And the answer is of course the beautiful, emblematic and critically endangered Rhino.  This flagship species continues to teeter on the edge of extinction.  It is under threat from poachers and it is under threat from habitat encroachment.  Unless we police its few last sanctuaries and unless we help local people to find sustainable ways of working and living to the mutual benefit of humans and wildlife alike then there is no hope for this wonderful, prehistoric beast.

So I urge you to help me with sponsorship.  There is precious little point in risking life and limb in the high desert of the Atacama in , racing across the Andes , without some motivating rationale.  And your sponsorship, large or small, will provide that impetus.  Roughly half of Save The Rhino’s money is spend on local communities, and half on policing.  This gorgeous animal is a banner for all manner of other species within its ecosystem, and can provide the basis for sustainable development for people living in that environment.  Your help is hugely appreciated, by them and by me.

Kenneth

You'd better come back in one piece - and bring Cathy and Steve with you - good luck all Donation by jpb 23/03/06  

£250.00 + £70.51 Gift Aid

I hope you survive this! Donation by Alan Patterson 23/03/06  

£20.00 + £5.64 Gift Aid

The most ambitious event I've ever sponsored. Good luck!!! Donation by Helen Frisby 23/03/06  

£10.00 + £2.82 Gift Aid

Best of luck. Another mate's doing the Marathon Des Sables - another nutter Donation by Russell Agius 23/03/06  

£20.00 + £5.64 Gift Aid

...said it once and I'll say it again - you are quite mental. All the best....... Donation by Mike Spink 22/03/06  

£100.00 + £28.21 Gift Aid

good luck Donation by Andrew Allsopp 20/03/06  

£100.00 + £28.21 Gift Aid

You are a star! Just don't do the actuarial sums on your OWN life expectancy! Donation by Sam Chatterton Dickson 08/03/06  

£100.00 + £28.21 Gift Aid

You are mad but brilliantly so! Good luck, C&G Donation by Chrissie H 06/03/06  

£20.00 + £5.64 Gift Aid

If you don't catch one this time I think you should give up. Donation by Richard Bostock 04/03/06  

£150.00 + £42.31 Gift Aid

Best of luck to you Kenneth Donation by Madhu 01/03/06  

£30.00 + £8.46 Gift Aid

Donation by john criddle 28/02/06  

£50.00 + £14.10 Gift Aid

Yet probably not.A dirigible rhino on a cross-desert trot.Perfectly plausible.Pleasantly hot. Donation by ges 24/02/06  

£100.00 + £28.21 Gift Aid

Let's celebrate this with a long overdue beer some time! Donation by Kris Weber 22/02/06  

£100.00 + £28.21 Gift Aid

You are both bonkers and brave! Good luck. Donation by Robert Middleton 22/02/06  

£150.00 + £42.31 Gift Aid

Mad, completely mad! Donation by Nigel Taylor 22/02/06  

£150.00 + £42.31 Gift Aid

After the Sahara, this will be a stroll! Donation by Tom Ross 21/02/06  

£150.00 + £42.31 Gift Aid

Sounds far too easy; now if you were to play your violin non-stop as well, that would be impressive. Donation by JT 21/02/06  

£250.00 + £70.51 Gift Aid

Donation by Dougie D 20/02/06  

£100.00 + £28.21 Gift Aid

after save the Rhino, is it save the Ken? Best of luck Donation by Chas Goddard 20/02/06  

£50.00 + £14.10 Gift Aid

Sheer madness! Good luck! Donation by Sarah, Andrew, Amanda & Matthew 17/02/06  

£100.00 + £28.21 Gift Aid

Go the rhinos Donation by Ann from EC4 17/02/06  

£20.00 + £5.64 Gift Aid

Good luck Kenneth! Donation by Nick B 17/02/06  

£50.00 + £14.10 Gift Aid

I am awestruck! best of luck. Donation by Guy Thomas 17/02/06  

£100.00 + £28.21 Gift Aid

Mad b*stard but good luck Donation by Karl Millward 17/02/06  

£150.00 + £42.31 Gift Aid

Good Luck Kenneth! Donation by Joanne Hull 16/02/06  

£30.00 + £8.46 Gift Aid

Good luck Donation by Chris Tavener 16/02/06  

£50.00 + £14.10 Gift Aid

how come you get a day off ? Donation by mwp 16/02/06  

£20.00 + £5.64 Gift Aid

Donation by Footnotes 16/02/06  

£20.00 + £5.64 Gift Aid

Good luck Mr D Donation by Tim C 16/02/06  

£50.00 + £14.10 Gift Aid

A huge challenge for sure Donation by Shona Goulds 16/02/06  

£15.00 + £4.23 Gift Aid
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