Hi everyone,

Autumn is once upon us again, and this time in 2016, Thomsons Online Benefits are attempting the Thames Challenge. As part of the challenge all different groups within Thomsons get together and come up with their own, incredibly tough, challenges to get from Oxford to London along the Thames. Our challenge is a cycle/run relay of 100 miles (160km) over 2 days. 

The Event

Day 1 consists of a grueling 111.7km journey from Witney to Maidenhead, where we will stay in a Holiday Inn over-night and recuperate with an early breakfast before setting off on Day 2. 

Our day 1 route is available to see here: 

https://www.strava.com/routes/5303473

Day 2 will be slightly shorter, a 56km journey, taking us from Maidenhead to Barnes Rugby Club - the end goal - where we will celebrate our triumph with a welcome meal and ice cold beer.

Our day 2 route is available to see here:

https://www.strava.com/routes/5314599

The way we perform this distance over 2 days is to have a relay of runners where 1 runner sets off with a cyclist as support whilst the other 6 cyclists shoot off ahead to the first 5km checkpoint. From there a second runner and support cyclist will set off whilst the remaining 4 cyclists wait for the first runner and support to reach the checkpoint and then cycle to the next 5km checkpoint. This is repeated the whole way and ensures that as a team we have both run and cycled the entire distance.

Wish us luck! 

Why are we doing this?

This is in aid of a great charity, Great Ormond Street Hostpital, in an attempt to raise enough money to build a Cystic Fibrosis treatment room, which allows families to be with the children whilst they received treatment. It will include top of the range facilities in a fantastic new design and spacious layout. Thomsons are in a critical year, in that, as a business we are attempting to reach the amount required of £208,000. We are currently halfway towards this goal and are hoping that this Challenge, along with other fundraising events in 2016, will give us what we need in order to hit the final target. Therefore any extra support and generosity will be warmly welcomed!

Thank you for reading, and please don't forget to donate!