Thanks for taking the time to visit my JustGiving page.

So another year of fund raising is upon us, this time raising funds for Candlelighters Trust. Sky Betting and Gaming staff have chosen this charity to help raise hopefully over £65,000 as we did for Give a Duck last year. 

I'm undertaking more challenges this year in an effort for reaching the targets set. 

Here is my little list of challenges :-

1) No Chocolate for 3 months - started on 1st January 2018 with the money that would have been spent on chocolate will be put into this Just Giving page 

2) No fizzy soft drinks for 3 months started on 1st January 2018. This is a hard one for me, I would happily drink a 2 litre bottle of pop than having some alcohol on an evening or weekend. Again money that would have been spent will be put into this Just Giving page

3) Skipton Sprint Triathlon - 15th April 2018. Back again to undertake a triathlon and hopefully beat my time from last year. 

Outcome :- I completed this in a time of 1:55:53 which was 10 minutes slower than last year. This was mainly due to me falling off my bike half way round and landing on my hip which impacted my running, but it was still a fab time. 

4) Tour de Yorkshire - route medium- 6th May 2018. This is something to undertake with it starting close to our work. 

Outcome :- I was only able to undertake the short route, as I was handing out the charity jerseys I designed to all other riders who were taking part from Sky Betting and Gaming. but still had a fab time and covered it off in 2:35:45

5) Leeds-Liverpool canal - 127 miles. Something I've been wanting to do for some time and now seems like the year for getting this challenge completed. This will be on 8th June to 9th June. This going to be a big challenge mainly as I'm doing it solo and of course the fear of breaking down and mental challenges of ensuring that I keep the pace up and keeping myself going.

Outcome :- This is now complete!!!!!. It took me in total 15hrs 30 mins to complete it, covering over 130 miles with a few diversions en-route. Thankfully the weather was great and the paths where very quiet meaning there was little stopping and starting.  The main stint of this challenge was covered on Friday where I did Liverpool to Skipton covering off 100 miles. I was in good state and thought that I might have been able to do it all in one day, however my left leg said otherwise as it started to hurt just as I got past Margrave. I decided to stop and give my legs a rest, after cycling for 12 hours when I got to Skipton. It was a case of my legs could not push the pedals around and the rest would put me in good stead for the remainder of the  challenge on Saturday.  It was also nice to see my children and sleeping in my own bed.

On the Saturday it was nice to be cycling along and meeting up with friends and family on the towpath on the way to Leeds who had come out to meet me and keep me going. It was also great talking to other people about the cause and what I was doing.

6) Sky Betting & Gaming Sportive - 29th June

Outcome :-This was not done due to hands not recovering from the canal ride, and having numbness in the last 2 fingers in each hand. Gutted about not being able to take part in this challenge, but I needed to make sure that I was at full health for the other challenges 

7) Leeds 10K - 8th July

Outcome :- Oh my that was a hot day!!, I completed this and came out of it with blisters and aching feet, mainly due to my running shoes being broken and picking wrong socks in the morning (took cycling not running socks).  I thought I did a new PB for 10K, but turns out that I was just 30 seconds away from one I set 2016. Given the heat and injuries I'm very happy with that run.

8) Yorkshire 3 peaks walk - 1st August

Outcome :- 

I did not undertake the challenge as i had been training for this and took the advice to not risk it. Instead I was ground support for all of the 144 walkers who took part in the event. It was an honour to help organise this challenge, and creating the medals which were handed out to all participants. If we put this on next year I will be undertaking the challenge

9) Sheffield 10K - 23rd September

Outcome :-

It was a great day for the 10k, there was no strong gusts or rain. The course was hilly, as you'd expect but I did not think it would be that bad. I managed to complete it in 1hr 13 mins which I was very happy about. My legs certainly knew that i had been running up and down hill the following days with my thighs being in agony.

10)  Abbey Dash  10k - 4th November

Probably my final challenge of the year, under taking another 10k in Leeds. I'm hoping the weather holds off and it will be a dry for the run. 

I am hoping to raise over £750 this year for Candlelighters if I can exceed this it would be fantastic.