Ian Spriggs
Ian's 2021 FUNDRAISER
Fundraising for NSPKU
Story
BEYOND MARATHON DEADWATER ULTRA
20th – 26th August 2021
The race is 235 miles, over six stages. It starts in Deadwater on the Scottish border, and it ends in Chester near the Welsh border. This is a not soft-option ‘holiday’ races where your bags are portered between, camps and they feed you hot food twice a day. You enter this race because it is hard. You are self sufficient, receiving only water from the organisers at checkpoints and at camp.
Beyond Marathon.
I have never attempted anything like this before but its a challenge I am looking forward to immensely. I have done a 10 marathons in 10 days, numerous ultras Inc 2 x 100 mile runs but haven't done a multi stage event where there is an ultra each day.
To make it tougher the only thing the organisers supply is a tent to sleep in and water. There are no fancy aid stations, no food given to you and you need to be self sufficient, no support allowed.
You have to carry all the mandatory kit and all the food you need for days 1 to 3. You then restock your food for days 4 to 6. Food which you supply yourself.
There is no cut offs, so the longer a day takes you, the less sleep you'll have before the next day's run.
This is going to be a huge challenge for me but a challenge I'm ready to take on. Due to the fact its probably the biggest challenge I've taken on its only right that I fly the flag for the magnificent charity NSPKU.
NSPKU help people with a condition called PKU. It means a person cannot process excess protein and its dangerous to have this excessive protein in your body. From birth you are on an extremely restricted protein free diet.
After reading this, head of to your kitchen and look at food labels, everything you pick up will have protein, think about living without those items.
A person with PKU cannot eat what they want, lots of food is on prescription and protein free. It still means that you can't eat things like, bread, meat, fish, dairy, pasta to name a few. You cannot nip into a shop to pick up a snack, you cannot choose from a restaurant menu, you cannot go into fast food outlets.
NSPKU help everyone with PKU and its a condition and a charity very close to home.
NSPKU also lead the fight in getting a drug called Kuvan made available in the UK. Available in most parts of the world but not here, a PKU person who responds to Kuvan will have their lives improved immensely, I want that for my daughter.
Please follow my adventure and help me help the NSPKU.
You can follow me with this tracker
https://track.trail.live/event/deadwater
You can help me raise funds for the NSPKU here
https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/ian-spriggs5
What is the NSPKU?
The NSPKU exists to help and support people with PKU, their families and carers. It was formed in 1973, see history.
The NSPKU actively promotes the care and treatment of PKUs and works closely with medical professionals in the UK.
It organises events such as conferences and study days throughout the UK, publishes a wide range of publications (including food lists) for parents, PKUs and medical professionals. Local support groups also hold study days and other events.
The NSPKU also sponsors medical research into PKU.
The NSPKU is run by the Council of Management who are volunteers with PKU in their families. You can contact individual COM members by using the email addresses on our Council of Management page, there is also pages for General and Urgent enquiries.
Information on how to join the society can be found on our How to Join page.
General society forms are available on the Forms page, and society resources such as logos are available on the Resources page.