Thanks for visiting my fundraising page.
Challenge Completed - The Story
From leaving Nottingham to our return, we drove a total of 1150 miles and walked in excess of 25 miles covering a total altitude of 10000 feet.
The actual Challenge started late Saturday afternoon Ben Nevis in mid 20 degree heat!! to hot (They say you hit a mental and physical wall at some time I hit my wall 20 mins into the challenge, but fortunately I got through that, other people on the hill though where getting heat stroke!) we did get up and down in 5 hours 20 but by the time we got to Scarfell in the early hours of Sunday morning we were already 45minute behind our target schedule (very narrowly missing in our hire minibus a 400lb deer on the way at about 65mph that would have made a mess!!) Again got up Scarfell in 2 1/4 hours in the dark (4am in the morning and still only in tee shirt!!) problems started on the way down, one of the group knees went and he had a slight fall nothing to serious but we had to get him down very slowly it took us 2 3/4 hours on the descent, by then we new the 24 hour time challenge had gone but as we said the challenge is to complete the all three. So on we pressed, (via a bacon cob from a van in a layby, there are only some many pot noddles one man can eat!) Together as a group we got up Snowdon (again in mid 20's but there was a better breeze in places) in 2 1/4 hours but by then the bodies of 3 of our 5 man team had shot it, so we decide to take the so called scenic route down the Llanberis pass following the railway (never been down that way and wouldn't recommend it it takes ages!! especially for those with bad kness, hips etc)
Overall you do need every thing to go in your favour to be able to complete it in 24 hours, I take my hat off to any of you who have (if I had one on!!) if you lose 20 minute here 20 minutes there it just goes away from you, and the one thing we all didn't plan on was the heat, we thought we should get wet at some stage but not temperatures in the mid 20's!! it's just not right.
Our aim was to complete the 3 Peaks Challenge, that we all did and to raise as much money for the Mouth Cancer Foundation.
Thanks goes to my team mates on the walk, Brian, Dave, Ian and Marcus, who pulled together and helped each other through the 'episodes' on those hills, thanks to our driver Emma and her ground support Jody, we couldn't have done it without you.
But most of all my thanks goes to those of you who have taken the time to visit this page and sponsor me - THANK YOU
The reasons behind the Challenge
MWE is celebrating our 20th Anniversary this year. During a few beers last December I mentioned we should do something challenging to mark the event and hopefully raise a few pounds for charity. I am always up for a challenge and had fancied trying to complete the '3 Peaks Challenge' which involves climbing the 3 highest mountains in Scotland - Ben Nevis, England - Scarfell Pike and Wales - Snowdon in just 24 hours, yes that's climbing over 10000 feet and travelling 450 miles between them, it is some challenge! When I spoke about this last December the first reaction from my colleagues was 'yes that sounds great' then after a while and when they had got their heads out of the free beer, the questions began 'what exactly is the 3 Peaks Challenge' then the realisation of the facts slowly sank in!. Thankfully many of them are still up for the challenge and we have also picked up a few friends, relatives etc along the way who are also joining us.
Last December seems an age ago and as usual some apathy set in after the initial plans were made. We even managed a training walk in March but then nothing seemed to move our plans forward, we needed something to spur us on, a Charity and a good cause with would galvanise us into action. Unfortunately with the news that a good friend of mine and a client of the company had been diagnosed with cancer of the tongue, this spurred us into action.
John Dabell is that man please see his just giving page http://www.justgiving.com/johndabell
John is facing is very own incredible challenges on a day to day basis, which we know he will overcome, and which make our own seem like 'a walk in the park'.
It is John's 'walk in the park' challenge, which I hope I can directly help and raise money for the Mouth Cancer Foundation
Donating through Justgiving is quick, easy and totally secure. It’s also the most efficient way to sponsor me: Mouth Cancer Foundation Limited gets your money faster and, if you’re a UK taxpayer, Justgiving makes sure 25% in Gift Aid, plus a 3% supplement, are added to your donation.
So please sponsor me now!
Thanks
Richard
