Why sponsor me?

It’s an inspiring cause. Outward Bound is an educational charity that helps young people defy limitations through learning and adventures in the wild. They strive to empower young people to succeed; for themselves, their communities and society - regardless of their background or financial position.  They challenge them to never give up, to change their perspective and to learn the most important lesson: to believe in themselves.

That’s close to my heart. I’ve been fortunate to spend so much time with family and friends in the Lake District (where OBT are based) throughout my life, learning to believe in myself through countless challenges out in the wild. I want to help others have the same opportunities that have shaped me.

My mind is at it’s most restful when I’m out on adventures with friends, or gritting my teeth through a tough training session. Training is my daily retreat, my time to pause, reflect and disconnect. I want to prove that, even when you are busy, you can make time to push your limits and take those lessons into the rest of your life.

And I’ve grafted hard, for a long time. I joined team Outward Bound in April 2020 for the rearranged London Marathon in October. Within weeks I tore my calf, which kicked off a chain of injuries for the next 18 months - ruining my fitness. I hobbled round the Virtual London Marathon in 2020, before another knee injury hit that winter. After months of rehab, I finally started working towards London 2022:

• Bob Graham Round, 08/21 - Ran 72 mi with 25,309ft ascent across 45 of the the Lake District’s tallest mountains over 4 days, battling through harsh terrain, tricky navigation and torrid conditions.
• Nohtaram, 10/21. Ran the London Marathon course in reverse starting at 02:45 as revellers stumbled out the clubs, fighting sleep deprivation to finish before the main race started.
• Manchester Marathon, 04/22. Trained hard through a new job and first house purchase to finish in 2:58, breaking the 3-hour mark… on my way to the medical tent with Exertional Heat Stroke.
• Exercise every day in 2022. At the time of writing, I’m 233 days into an exercise streak trying to prove that you can always find the time.

I know there are countless amazing people with inspiring causes in a particularly challenging time for many, so any amount you can spare is deeply appreciated.

Every penny will help educate young people about the power of resilience, about pushing hard when times get tough – a skill that I hope to demonstrate by achieving a Boston Marathon qualifying time of sub-2:55. Not only will that be a huge PB for me, but it will open the door to enter (most of) the World Major Marathons and achieve a long-term dream.

Thank you!