With your support I have been participating in endurance events to raise money for children cancer charities for the past 7 years. This year my challenge is to run non-stop for 102 miles along the Cotswold path from Chipping Camden to Bath. I know this challenge will be long and tough but nothing in comparison to what Jacob and his family have been going through the past 3 years.  Jacobs endurance, resilience and patience is quite extraordinary.  Jacob deserves the best treatment available to provide him and his family hope in the continued journey ahead. 

I’m glad to inform you after all your support, encouragement and
sponsorship I finished the Cotswold Way Century run in under 30 hours! 
The sponsorship amount is so far at a staggering £1768.50 Neil
Coggins is fundraising for Solving Kids' Cancer thanks to your
generosity.  Jacob and his family have been overwhelmed with the fund
raising amount which should Jacob need to access therapy that’s not available through
the NHS, funds will be in place to enable him to pursue the opportunity.

My SBlog

So I thought it would be a good challenge to see how far I could
run in 24 hours.  I looked up to see what events where available in the
UK, only a few for this duration of time and mostly booked up, apart from this
one http://www.cotswoldrunning.co.uk/cotswold-way-century,
ok Cotswolds path and finish at Bath Abbey, nice place & scenery, my family
will enjoy the weekend break there, that will do, so I booked it.

After an interesting night being squashed in one of Lenny’s
Inn’s with my family of 5 (Wendy (coughing), Baby(crying) and 2 teenage
daughters (sniggering), the morning arrived, after watching them all and my
parents tucking into a full English breakfast  whilst I was eating my porridge
it dawned on me that my weekend wasn’t going to get any easier.

Back to the room to sort out my kit, after all what would I need
I was only going for a run (well 102 miles).  Arrived at Chipping Camden
School about 10.15am handed in my drop bags (spare kit, gels etc.) that you
could leave at checkpoints at 47 miles and 80 miles.  Went inside to pick
up my tracker (so they could make sure I wasn’t cheating, find me if I fallen
asleep or fallen into a bunker and of course give supporters the opportunity to
see how I was doing during the race).  Next I had to have my mandatory kit
checked, at least 2.5 litre of water; first aid kit; hat; waterproof jacket;
head torch; foil cover; whistle; nutrition and of course ordnance survey map of
the Cotswolds path.  So once I’d got all that packed again and put on my
back, it was about time to go.

We left Chipping Camden just after 12 noon on the Saturday,
kisses and waves good bye, farewell, so long, nice knowing you……….

Realised I had already started my watch 15 minutes earlier as
wanted to make sure my GPS map found a signal, so hopefully it would last the
duration of the race as the map I was told to take was probably as much use as
a Chocolate teapot for me (those who know me for my orientation skills will agree!)

We are off!  Literally turned the first corner and started
running up a steep slope, I started quite near the back after remembering my
training friends who had kept advising me it’s not a sprint its four
marathons!  So was taking it slowly running with a tribe of fellow
runners, for those who have seen my legs I have an Ironman tattoo, which is
always a good conversation point and usually doesn’t take long for someone to
ask me ‘What one did you do?’, suddenly I could feeling my tattoo starting to shrink
as they were telling me they had done 3 or 4 Ironmans, 7 or 8 Ultraruns etc, or
they had done the event before, they did there training around here etc.. , but
I turned it into a positive thinking well if I stick with these guys they can
help me get through this!.  After many up and downs we made it through the
first checkpoint at 13 miles, then after taking in the amazing sites of
Cheltenham (and its racecourse, (it was so clear you could see for miles and
miles at 1,000 feet up, beautiful)) we made it to checkpoint 2 at 27 miles (one
marathon done). 

I was feeling good, started mainly running with a guy called
Mike who asked me if I was going to try and run the event in under 24 hours, I
said I’d give it ago (sounded a good idea at the time).  So I stuck with
Mike and a couple of others to Checkpoint 3 (37 miles) Birdlip carpark
(apparently famously known for ‘Dogging’ which I didn’t realise as I had agreed
with my family that I would try and get there between 7 and 8 o’clock), we
arrived there at 7.30pm and whilst trying to eat, drink, say hello, good night
to the family and ignore the flashing lights and rocking of the cars in the
background we continued the race.

It was now dark, headlights on the nightshift had begun. 
The next checkpoint 4 (47 miles) was where I had my first drop bag and was
aware that there was going to be a hot meal available.  It took a long
time to get there, we arrived  at 9.45pm, to put this into context from
check point 3 to 4 = 10 miles, it took me 2hrs 15 mins which on a normal day
would take me about 1hr 10 mins to cover this distance.  We arrived to
find out that the food was vegetarian chilli (REALLY!! Do I really want to have
this) I picked around it as thought I must eat something substantial , changed
my socks, filled up my water supplies, tried to charge my watch for about 3
minutes, then Mike was calling us time to go, I held back a little for another
guy Dave ‘The Butcher’ Kelly who had been running with us. Mike and another
runner had shot off, I suddenly realised that I’d promised to text Wendy at
this point and my stuff was about to fall out my rucksack.  Thankfully
Dave was there to help to get me sorted, and I realised that it was best to
stick with him as the 24 hours was starting to look an impossibility.

So found out that Dave had done the MDS (Marathon Des Sables) so
knew I was in good company.  The hills felt like they were getting
steeper, it was getting colder, we were running through the woods, through
boggy terrain, tripping over tree roots whilst trying to navigate through the
dark, I realised at this point that my run that I had booked on to do was an
extreme event and maybe I should have read the instructions before I had booked
up……………… We arrived at another golf course (on top of another hill) with no
direct pathway only our GPS to navigate (another thing I foolishly didn’t
realise when signing up if that there would be no stewards and very minor
signage apart from the Costwold Path signs on route).  Thankfully though I
had Dave and Mario (reminded me of RJ Mitte from Breaking Bad, Bear Grylls
Celebrity Island) with me. So we somehow avoided the bunkers, caught a glimpse
of the River Severn Bridge lit up in the background and made it to checkpoint 5
(58.5 miles) a tent at the top of a hill (no surprise there then!)

I had no idea of what the time  was but I frankly didn’t
care at the point, just thought I must keep going.  Dave was becoming a
bit of legend in my eyes, it wasn’t just that he had done the MDS and was a
butcher, who got up for work at 2.30am everyday, had his girlfriend (of 2
weeks) at every checkpoint caring for all his needs, he unbelievably was
consistently texting and running at the same time and arranged for one of his
mates to bring us pizza at the next checkpoint!!  So checkpoint 6 (70.5
miles) who’s knows about 5.30 am, I was only interested in getting my mouth
round a couple of slices of pepperoni pizza and getting a plaster on my blister
which thought it would appear to make my run more difficult than it already
was!

Thankfully it was starting to get lighter although the legs were
starting to get heavier.  I knew checkpoint 7 (80 miles) would probably be
the first one of the morning, so it was great to arrive at the checkpoint and
have the family to greet me, it just gives you that lift (you know, what you
need after 80 miles of running?) 

After leaving the family I started to think the reasons why I
was doing the event and why I had taken up endurance challenges to raise money
for charities for children with cancer.  Always when it gets tough no
matter if training or in an event I am inspired by Megan (as always) and Jacob
on what they have been through during their young lives and I hope that what I
am doing can raise money and help towards making a difference and provide future
hope to those who are affected by cancer in their lives.

Dave’s back on the phone, arranging bacon and avocado toasty
outside another of his mates house en route (I really recommend it really
tasty).  Made it to checkpoint 8 (87 miles), all becoming a bit of a blur
now but still running, ok and walking it is hard you know….

Oh dear both of our batteries have now run out of juice (no more
GPS!!!), I am now totally relying on Dave (did I say he was from Bath) to get
me to the finish line.  Passing a couple of people, people passing us, so
do I care now not really just want to get to the end (you probably thinking I
wish he would hurry up and get to the end of the Blog, I’ve got work to
do).  Checkpoint 9 (92 miles) quick stop, another hill to run up, passed
James Dyson’s house well didn’t see his house but his perimeter fence went on
for miles.

Ok we can see Bath as not surprisingly we are at the top of a
hill, passed a smug runner running the other way ‘only 4 miles to go, all
downhill from here’ he says.  We made it to Checkpoint 10 (99.5 miles),
now we were thinking just a gentle stroll to the finish at Bath Abbey, how
wrong where we.  Still following the Cotswold Path taking us up and down
steep climbs, we really, really had had enough by now and wanted to finish, it
felt like the longest 2 and half miles I had ever run.  Finally into Bath
City centre dodging tourist and shoppers, I know the first person I will see
near the end is my Dad, there he is hurrah ‘round the corner’ he says. 
Bath Abbey finally, Wendy, Girls and mum to cheer me over the line.  Yes
it’s done, shake hands and thank Dave, collected my medal (with profile on the
front, which I should have looked at before entering the race), sweaty hugs and
kisses and a seat to rest the legs.  Finished in joint 25^th
place, out of 105 starters in a time of 26:23:50. 

This is the  hardest physical challenge I have ever done
and I will never ever be doing it again.  But I will be back with another
challenge next year preferable with ‘no hills’ after the past 2 years
events……………….

Thanks for your support

Neil

p.s. If I personally haven’t thanked you for your sponsorship I
will try to, just so many sponsors it has been difficult to remember you all