Robert Bond
Robert's page
Fundraising for Cancer Research UK
Hi,
On Friday 25 June I and fellow runners from Rolls-Royce Harriers and Congleton Harriers are heading north to attempt a continuous relay run, known to us as the Traverse of Scotland. This entails a drive up to Durness near the start point at Cape Wrath on the north-west corner of mainland Scotland. On Saturday morning a small boat ferry and a 12-mile mini-bus trip gets us to the remote start point at Cape Wrath lighthouse. Then we track the 200 mile long Cape Wrath Trail to Fort William. From there we join the more popular West Highland Way towards Glasgow, link Glasgow and Edinburgh by canal towpath and then join the John Muir Trail around the north east coast to the English border north of Berwick-upon Tweed. We intend to run this 450 mile route as a continuous relay, day and night, in under 100 hours starting at around 10.00 am Saturday 26 June and for safety reasons will be running at least 2 people at a time. When this schedule was devised we had 19 runners and 4 support members but the weeks have taken their toll and we are down to 13 runners with 2 support but the remaining team is heading north to give it a go! A few years ago we completed the Pennine Way and last year a circuit of Cornwall consisting of 300 miles relay running around the coastal path, kayaking across the estuaries, and 56 miles cycling across country to close the loop, in a total 75½ hours. This was held to raise money for charities including Cancer Research UK, Lymphoma Association and Huntington’s Disease Association and we raised over £6500. These events were inspired by a fellow member of Rolls-Royce Harriers who eventually died as a result of malignant mesothelioma and we continue them in his memory. This year we will be running to raise money for Cancer Research UK and I have decided that rather than normal sponsorship, I would ask as many people as possible if they would care to donate £1. If you prefer not to then that’s no problem. After the event Barbara is coming to collect me and we are going to spend a few days with our daughter, Emma and her family near Dundee. I think they have already started to dig a deep hole in their garden with a view to burying my running kit! When we return after our family visit I will let you know how we fared.
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