Hi

In September this year I have taken the plunge and entered a race called Spartathlon which is held annually in Greece.

The race has been running for many years and is well regarded as on of the toughest Ultra Marathons in the World. It follows the route run by Pheidippides 2500 years ago when he travelled from Athens to Sparta  in less than two days and (allegedly) died at the feet of King of Sparta. The route is 246km (152 miles) long and includes 8000ft of elevation. It must be completed non stop. The temperatures are warm and the time limit is a skinny 36 hrs with cut off times at every checkpoint. 

You obviously all know that I am a bit crazy and have done similar things before. However, I am genuinely scared at the prospect of running this race. I have been training exceptionally hard and am currently running approximately 100 miles per week with a plan to get up to 130 miles per week over the next 2 months.  

I think that every bit of motivation I can get will help me to achieve my goal of getting to Sparta. I have therefore decided to raise some money for a very worthwhile charity which I am sure that you all know well, Help For Heroes. Currently there are a large number of exceptionally brave men and women who are serving us all in foreign war zones. They face huge risk and make sacrifices that the majority of people can never imagine. For those who are injured on duty, they face challenges and discomfort that makes the Spartathlon look like a Primary School race. Help for Heroes provides vital support to these Service Personnel and their families. 

I would be so grateful if you could find even a few pence to sponsor me for the race. You can then sit comfortably in the knowledge that I will be going through extreme discomfort for 2 days in September! I hope I can finish and make you all proud.

Thanks again for all your kindness and support. I look forward to sharing my experiences with you after the race. 

I have included a couple of links for the race and the charity for your interest.

Kevin

http://www.spartathlon.gr/

http://www.helpforheroes.org.uk

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