Hello 🏃🏻‍♂️

Just when you thought it couldn’t get any crazier! To encourage your continued support, generosity and hopefully to inspire you a little, I’ve lined up another year of challenges.

Stay tuned for pictures, videos and updates here:

https://runningallovercancer.com

THE RUNNING ORDER

✅ 13 Feb: Cancer Research UK Winter Run. Opening challenge of the year kicks off with the Cancer Research UK London Winter Run….dressed as the mad scientist! 

✅ 4-5 Mar: 4x4x48 Goggins challenge. Created by the legendary ultra-athlete and former US Navy Seal, David Goggins, this involves running four miles, every four hours, day and night, for forty-eight hours. Sounds easy? I dare you to join me.

Back to back to back challenge - three consecutive races leading to Boston: 20 Mar: Hastings Half Marathon ✅  27 Mar Kingston 20 mile ✅  3 Apr Reading Half Marathon ✅.

✅ 18 Apr: Boston Marathon. Fourth time lucky, having previously qualified and run it virtually twice in 2020 because of the pandemic - once laps of Dulwich Park and the second time in Anglesey, Wales. In 2021 I was then unable then to travel to the US  so hopefully this time I can get to the start line! This is my final World Marathon Major and the culmination of a lifetime running challenge ambition, having already completed London, Berlin, Chicago, New York and Tokyo.

✅ 7-8 May: Centurion Thames Path 100. Just three weeks after Boston (oops), I will attempt this gruelling 100 mile (161 km) continuous trail race along the Thames Path, from London to Oxford, climbing 1900 feet upstream. Beyond getting to the end, I’m determined to run the 100 miles in under 24hours. My mum lives exactly half way in Henley, but at 87 years and with many ailments including bladder cancer, she doesn’t get out so often these days. To see her at the 50 mile aid station would be amazing!

✅ 2-3 Jul: Ultra-Trail Snowdonia. 50km non stop mountain running, with over 3,100m of elevation. My first ever mountain ultra will include running to the top of Snowdon, the highest mountain in Wales. UTS is a true stepping stone for me into Alpine-scale mountain ultrarunning! Over 1000m of elevation gain per 16km distance, rarely found in UK events and with many sections of scrambling.

22-28 Aug: Ultra Tour du Mont Blanc (UTMB) CCC: ☹  Despite qualifying, I sadly didn’t get a place in the ballot, however completing UTS gives me another chance in the 2023 lottery 🤞

🚷 4 Sep: The Big Half. Dressed in normal attire, the challenge is to set a half marathon PB / PR and finish in under 80 minutes. Sadly due to injury, I had to withdraw from this on advice from my physio 😒 But fear not, I’ve replaced with the Frankfurt Marathon!

✅ 11 Sep: Great North Run. Back by popular demand, the Mad Scientist 🔬 returns with attempt #2 to set a Guinness World Record for the ‘fastest half marathon dressed as a scientist’ and put right the 37 second near miss last year!

✅ 25 Sep: Berlin Marathon. The second time I’ve run Berlin, this time attempting break the magical sub-3 hour marathon barrier. Not quite Kipchoge pace I know, but fast for this old guy. The last time I tried to break 3 hours, it didn’t go well…

✅ 2 Oct: London Marathon. Just 7 days later, my 12^th London Marathon. The big question is: will Shoebarker or the ‘mad scientist’ 👨🏻‍🔬🧪🥼🧬 make a return?

✅ 💥NEW💥 30 Oct: Frankfurt Marathon. Forced to withdraw from The Big Half due to injury, so added something bigger as a replacement (as you do….!)

✅ 4 Dec: Valencia Marathon. Fail to plan, plan to fail. Back up plan for a sub-3 marathon. A lifetime running ambition challenge, something I’m determined to achieve this year.

I am truly grateful for your support and generosity. Cancer really does affect us all. Every two minutes someone is told they have cancer.....one in two of us will hear those words at some point in our lives.

Cancer Research UK funds 50% of all cancer research in the UK and is the largest independent funder of cancer research in the world.  Their research has helped to develop 8 of the world’s top 10 cancer drugs, and so much more.

Your generosity will help less people hear those words and of those who do, more people will survive.  Discoveries can’t be unmade. Progress can’t be undone. Every breakthrough inspires the next. 

Thank you.

Gower 🏃🏻‍♂️

https://runningallovercancer.com

Cancer Research UK fund scientists, doctors and nurses and are tackling cancer on all fronts to: 

• Prevent: reduce people’s risk of developing cancer
• Diagnose: diagnose more cancers earlier
• Treat: develop new cancer treatment
• Optimise: make treatments more effective for each patient.
  
  

We want to bring about a world where everybody can lead longer, better lives, free from the fear of cancer.

Donating through JustGiving is simple, fast and totally secure. Your details are safe with JustGiving - they'll never sell them on or send unwanted emails. Once you donate, they'll send your money directly to the charity. So it's the most efficient way to donate - saving time and cutting costs for the charity.