Mark Haynes
Mark's 100 Mile & African 3 Peaks Challenge 2014
Fundraising for Macmillan Cancer Support
Story
Hi there - thank you so much for taking the time to look at my fundraising web-page and for supporting me to achieve the arduous tasks I have set.
Having lost family members, friends and colleagues to this horrible disease I decided to raise £10,000 over 5 years by undertaking various challenges; some a lot more strenuous than others!
My fund raising total currently stands at £7,175.56 and I am hoping to raise £3,000 in 2014 to smash this barrier and go a small way towards helping those affected by Cancer.
This year I have set myself the task of running 100 miles in one day non-stop in June and to climb the 3 highest peaks in the Atlas Mountains in Morocco in September 2014. The three peaks of M’Goun 4,068m (13,347ft), Ouanoukrim 4,089m (13,415ft) and Mount Toubkal 4,167m (13,671ft) mean I will be climbing over 12,000m or in excess of 40,000ft in total, which is overall higher than Kilimanjaro at 5,895m (19,340ft) and Mount Everest at 8,848m (29,029ft)!!
On route to achieving these goals, I will be running numerous 10km’s, 5 half marathons, 3 marathons (Rome, Milton Keynes & Athens), and a 50 mile Ultra all by May 2014! The 100 mile race will take place on 14th-15th June over 24 hours from Winchester to Eastbourne along the South Downs Way with up to 13,000ft of ascent along the way. Then if the legs hold out I will be racing 100KM along the Grand Union Canal from London back home to the Chilterns on 28th-29th June. If that wasn't tough enough, in August, I will be looking to race-walk 100 miles in under 24 hours, which will involve 400 laps of an athletic track at Southend AC. This will be extremely tough mentally as well as physically and when completed I will potentially be one of only 1200 people in the UK since 1911 to have completed the task under IAAF rules.
There will also be the odd UK Mountain or two to scale as well as several supermarket collections along the way.
Remember, the minimal amount of pain I will incur in training for and completing these challenges is nothing compared to those whose lives are affected by Cancer. The money raised will provide vital funds for Macmillan Cancer Support. Check out just where the small amount I raise goes at www.macmillan.org.uk.
Macmillan Cancer Support improves the lives of people affected by cancer. They are a source of support: providing practical, medical, emotional and financial support. They are a force for change; listening to people affected by cancer and working together for better cancer care.
More than one in three of us will get cancer! Over 2 Million of us are living with it! We are all affected by cancer. We can all help!
So please dig deep and donate now - every penny really does count!
Below is a list of just a few of the main challenges I have completed over the last 3-4 years in order to achieve the fundraising target of £10,000: -
14-15 September 2013 – Thames Path 100KM Ultra - A very enjoyable and well supported ultra race in excess of 60 miles along the Thames River completed in 14 hours.
22-23 June 2013 – Trans-Pennine Trail 100KM Ultra - One of the toughest ultras completed to date starting in Stockport, with large amounts of ascent, dealing with terrible weather conditions on open moorland and finishing at Don Valley stadium after 16 hours.
2 June 2013 – Northants Spires & Shires 35 mile Ultra - A very tough ultra marathon travelling through 3 counties and covering a scenic route completed in 7 hours.
15 April 2012 – London Marathon – Arguably the best marathon in the world completed in a PB.
18th September 2011 - BUPA Great North Run - Marketed as the most iconic half marathon on the planet, also completed successfully.
15th May 2011 - BUPA Great Manchester Run - The nation's favourite 10k road race through the City of Manchester, completed successfully.
22nd January 2011 - Northampton to Tring 45 Mile Ultra Marathon - Race along the Grand Union Canal, completed under 11 hrs despite falling & tearing a groin & nearly falling into the canal!
21st-31st October 2010 - Climbing Kilimanjaro - Battling altitude sickness, no water supply or toilets and climbing 19,340ft / 5,900m to the Uhuru Peak of Kilimanjaro in Tanzania. Conquered!! The most amazing experience and yet one of the toughest yet. As a group 26 reached the summit out of 29 starters, raising over £150k in total!
19-20th June 2010 - Parish Walk Isle of Man - This event involved race walking non-stop through the night for 85 miles, touching the gates of each of the Island's 17 parish churches in less than 24 hours. This race had 1500 + starters but only around 100 people finish it each year due to high levels of both physical and mental endurance needed, not to mention the support required to get you through the night. My best time for this event currently stands at 21hrs.
17th April 2010 - Cancer Research UK Manchester Night Walk Marathon - Would you believe it...I came 4th overall and 2nd male!!
31st January 2010 - Tough Guy Challenge - An assault course deemed as tough as any marine training course. With obstacles ranging from battling through ice and snow, swimming under-water in concrete pipes in minus 5 degrees and lower, crawling under barbed wire netting, running through thorns and nettles, climbing 30ft cargo nets and jumping into freezing rivers below, running through electrified tentacles, wading through dung pits and running through fire - go to http://www.toughguy.co.uk/ for full details. NB I had to learn to swim and overcome a fear of the water to complete this challenge!! The most horrible and most painful challenge I have ever done!!
29th May to 8th June 2009 - Trekking the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu in Peru - I completed a 5 day trek of the Inca Trail with 50 other participants from KM82 climbing up to 14,000ft of altitude over Dead Woman’s Pass, down and back up again over 3,000 steps to the dream destination of the Sun Gate and Machu Picchu. Not only did we all work together as a group of people raising funds for Macmillan we all had our own memories and stories to tell, which proved highly emotional when trying to achieve our individual goals. Together as one group we raised a total in excess of £250,000.
3rd-5th May 2008 - Greater Manchester - The Longest Way Round - I completed a distance equivalent distance of 5 marathons in 3 days. Day 1 - Walked 47 miles from Glossop, via Goyt Valley, Buxton, Macclesfield and Wilmslow to Poynton. Day 2 - Cycled 48 miles from Poynton, via Bramhall, Cheadle & Gatley, Sale, Worsley, Atherton & Tyldesley, Bolton, Prestwich, Salford & Whitefield to Bury. Day 3 - Ran 30 miles from Bury, via Rochdale, Middleton, Royton & Chadderton, Saddleworth and back to Glossop. This was a total challenge of 125 miles, quite a feat I'm sure you will agree. All of the locations mentioned above have active Round Tables that are within Area 46 Greater Manchester. The local Round Tables provided support on route and I attended several of their events on route from local carnivals to duck races. For more info about Round Table see http://www.roundtable.co.uk
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