As we (finally) come  out of lockdowns it  has become quite clear that one of the big losers of the last 14 months has been the charity sector with donations significantly down.

As such I thought I would do something in order to give back to the community and  have decided to undertake a triple back-to-back challenge I am calling the 7:3:7 challenge in the Chamonix Valley in the French alps. 

7 days .... 3 events... in July

1) Run 90km distance, 6km elevation in the Chamonix Ultra Marathon

2) Climb Italy’s 4,000m Grand Paradiso 

3) Climb Western Europe's highest peak: 4,800m Mont Blanc

 

Challenge 1 – 2/3^rd July

The Mont-Blanc 90 km race has become legendary in the trail running community. With its 91km distance and 6220 meters of elevation  (albeit reduced to 85km and 6,020m for this year due to restrictions  meaning we cannot run in Switzerland), it has been recognised as one of the most technical trail races in France.  To put the length and elevation into perspective, it is like running from London to Oxford over 2/3rd of Mount Everest! 

The Chamonix Mont Blanc Ultra Marathon is a closed race featuring  1,000 runners with an average 55% completion rate.  We start at 4am on 2^nd July and have 24 hours to complete, but am hoping to get inside the 20 hour mark. Check out the details of the race here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DpNe2NExAU8&t=2s

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RQm3wFsw-Tk

 

after a rest day on  4^th July…..

 

Challenge 2  - 5/6^th July

We drive to Italy to climb “the acclimatisation peak” of Grand Paradiso. At 4,061m this is Italy’s highest independent peak. Whilst by Alpine mountaineering standards, Gran Paradiso is considered one of the less difficult   4,000m/ 13,123ft peaks, it has one of the longest summit day ascents of 1,300m/ 4,265ft, which will hurt after the 90km run

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gwtcWWGgvlw

 

After a drive back to Chamonix and a rest day on the 7^th ….

 

Challenge 3  - 8/9th July

We head to the top of  Western Europe and climb Mont Blanc. Rising 4,808 m (15,774 ft) above sea level. It is the highest mountain in Western Europe, and it is the eleventh most prominent mountain summit in the world. The mountain stands between the regions of Aosta Valley, Italy, and Savoie and Haute-Savoie, France

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m3qN5jVwzQg

 

Unfortunately the idea of ski touring up to the top and the subsequent ski down has lost out to lockdowns

 

The Charity

Princes Alice Hospice https://www.pah.org.uk/

The Princess Alice Hospice is a local Surrey charity dedicated to providing free, high quality care and support for adults with cancer and other life limiting illnesses; as well as those approaching the end of their lives.  For over 30 years, the Princess Alice Hospice has been delivering compassionate care across Surrey, southwest London and Middlesex.  At any one time, the charity is looking after more than 800 people in need.

It costs over £10.1 million each year to provide this free, high quality care. Princess Alice Hospice are investing in developing services to reach out to even more people in need. As a charity, it can only survive with the ongoing generous support of the local community that makes it possible to do their work.

 

https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/Mikolaj-Zieleznik1

 

The training

Given work commitments, running has essentially been limited to weekends only ( year to date: c.900km distance and  c.27,000m elevation) with during the week training comprising a spin bike, weights  and far more yoga than I would have hoped.

 

So that’s that, the charity is an amazing one which has been hit particularly hard during lockdown and I would so appreciate if you could donate generously to this fantastic cause.