Story
<p>Thanks for taking the time to visit my JustGiving page.</p>
<p>My name is David Henchliffe, I'm 39 and live in Belper, Derbyshire.</p>
<p>On the 14th of August I am planning to skate my longboard for 53 miles at the Goodwood Roller Marathon.That`s 2 marathons back to back (22 laps of the circuit). I have done plenty of training over the past few months, after work and at weekends, to get plenty of mileage under my wheels! My average weekly distance has been in excess of 50 miles.Never the less, it will probably be a bit of a trial...</p>
<p>What am I skating 53 miles for?:</p>
<p>-to raise funds for my chosen charity, Live Life Then Give Life</p>
<p>-to raise awareness of organ donation and importance of signing upto the UK Organ Donor Register. </p>
<p>The inspiration for this undertaking is my lovely wife Amanda. She has 'end stage' heart failure and requires a new heart and lungs. The effects of this on both our lives, and our sons, have been, and are overwhelming at times. </p>
<p>The current regulations, national lack of organ donors, let alone finding the correct blood/tissue match make such opportunities a rarity, and many people die whilst on the transplant waiting list. The wonderfull team that look after Amanda at the Freeman Hospital in Newcastle, have only performed one heart and lung transplant in the past 2 years. </p>
<p>Presently, a bridging operation has been proposed to Amanda, in form of a Ventricular Assist Device. This can often enable people in similar situations to have an improved quality of life and give them time, whilst waiting for a new heart. </p>
<p>This is my first long distance skate for charity, and I am currently planning other 'longer'distance skates. Stay tuned or visit Amandas blog, Amandaedgie.com, for updates. </p>
<p>Please, please, support me on the 14th August and make a donation to Live Life Then Give Life. </p>
<p>Thanks, David</p>
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<p><strong>15/08/2011 Update</strong></p>
<p>Well, firstly a BIG thankyou to everyone who supported me, I did it!</p>
<p>53.23 miles(85.68km) in 5 hours.(results not in yet, but I am told my fastest lap (2.4 miles) was about 12 mins! The weather was kind to us, but the increasing headwind made things interesting.Oh, and the water ran out at lap 9!!!!</p>
<p>Out of the 1300 or so skaters, only 4 of us opted for the double marathon, on longboards. Apparantly, a first in the history of this event.</p>
<p>I am taking the next 2 days to recover, although nothing hurts, I am a bit tired.That was possibly the most physically demanding thing I've done, so far.Skating up lots of hills in Derbyshire probably helped me develop the endurance mindset, and I thought I would breeze the <strong>flatter</strong> terrain. How wrong I was,it was a tough experience. Lap 17 was the killer and I made the error of stopping for a few minutes to stretch, almost succoming to the nectar of a rest.</p>
<p>Everyone who entered this event gets my respect and deserves a round of applause.For the last 2 laps, I buddied up with Inky, from Bedford Roller Girls and our non stop chat and cheering each other on got us through them in less than 25 mins!</p>
<p>I will be there next year, hopefully with more longboarders.In the meantime, I am cooking up other distance trips on my board so please keep watch.</p>
<p>Lastly, thankyou to Amanda, for being at my beck and call, giving me food and fluids as I passed.But most of all, thanks for driving me home!X</p>
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