The Challenge
For the third year running Team TPC is in training to take on the Trans Alpine Event 2011 to raise money for Comfort Rwanda. It’s a slightly different line-up this year, with new boy Matthew Sullivan joining old-hand Casey Morgan on the gruelling 262km challenge. The race begins on 3 September 2011 in Obertsdorf, Germany, and will cover a total climb of 15,226m through Austria, arriving in Italy 8 days later.
The Reason
You might be wondering why we would put ourselves through this ordeal? Well we like a challenge but, most importantly, we are raising money for Comfort Rwanda. Comfort Rwanda was established in 1999, 5 years after the genocide of 1994, to support the survivors as they continue to rebuild their lives and their country. The money we raise will go towards setting up a Vocational Training Centre in Nyarugunga to help local Rwandans learn a trade. The building of the centre is well under way, but Comfort Rwanda urgently needs funds to complete the internal of the building and equip the nine classrooms and workshops before opening in Autumn. Comfort Rwanda also needs to find the money to begin training local teachers, so they can eventually run the Centre themselves, and pay for the students’ fees. It costs Comfort Rwanda £475 to fund one student at the Centre but the opportunities this provides for local Rwandans is worth far more than that. Learning a trade gives them the chance to support their families, send their children to school and pay for medical treatment. Please help us raise as much money as possible – even the smallest amount really helps to change lives. For more information, please visit www.comfortrwanda.org.uk. On this site you can find out about other projects and read about how Comfort Rwanda really makes a difference to individual lives.
The Team
Casey Morgan: I am a Personal Trainer from Dumfries. Originally a cyclist then an Ironman triathlete, I’ve been running for 5 years – 3 of which have been spent representing the Shettleston Harriers. After the high of finishing second overall at the Trans Alpine Event 2009, and the low of being withdrawn through injury in 2010, I can’t wait to get back to the Alps this year. Matt is a great addition to Team TPC and we’re having a great season so far. I hope we can carry that form into the Alps and raise much needed funds and awareness for Comfort Rwanda.
Casey runs wearing a Garmin watch (the lucky so-and-so!), which provides details of his training runs. Click here to see the stats of Casey’s latest training run.
Matthew Sullivan: I’m an Environmental Scientist and my hometown is Aboyne. My first sport was rowing but, much like human evolution, I saw the light and escaped the water to run on two feet. Running on the flat wasn’t enough of a challenge and so the hills beckoned. It will be my first Transalp and I have no doubt it will be the toughest thing I have done, but I can’t wait for September! The training is going well and we know that we can put in a great performance.
To find out how we are getting on with our training visit our Facebook page.
Our Sponsor
We’d like to thank everyone at TPC Freight Management for supporting us over the past 3 years. We’re really looking forward to a great race!
Your Donation
Thanks for taking the time to visit Team TPC’s JustGiving page.
Donating through JustGiving is simple, fast and totally secure. Your details are safe with JustGiving – they’ll never sell them on or send unwanted emails. Once you donate, they’ll send your money directly to the charity and make sure Gift Aid is reclaimed on every eligible donation by a UK taxpayer. So it’s the most efficient way to donate – we raise more, whilst saving time and cutting costs for the charity.
Nobody can do everything, but everyone can do something.
Thanks for your contribution!
Casey and Matt
Team TPC
