Richard Vale
Richard's Endurance Triathlon
Fundraising for Leo Lion Foundation
Story
This autumn I will be participating in 3 testing endurance events in the space of 3 weeks to raise funds for 2 charities.
The Charities
St Christopher’s School, Bristol is a residential Special School providing care, education and therapy for children and young people between the ages of 5-19. The children and young people have severe and complex learning difficulties which require a high level of staff support. My son Sean, who is autistic, attends the school.
The COINS Foundation has three goals: To build sustainable communities, to include the excluded, to create a better future by engaging the adults of tomorrow. The Foundation funds community development projects in sub-Saharan Africa and around the world and youth education programmes in the UK.
The Challenges
My schedule is a little different and perhaps a little more demanding than the average sponsored challenge (especially for a middle-aged curry and beer lover like yours truly.) I hope that the scale of the challenge I have set myself will encourage you to sponsor me.
All of the travel, accommodation and other costs associated with my participation in these events is being met by my employers and by me personally, so 100% of the funds I raise will go to the chosen charities.
17th-18th September, 2011, USA: The US 3 Peaks Challenge: Starting in the Adirondack Park, the largest publicly protected area in the contiguous United States, teams will summit Whiteface Mountain, NY at 4,867 ft. From there, support crews will transport their hikers to Brattleboro, VT for a brief rest before making the predawn trip to one of the most popular peaks in the world, Mount Monadnock, NH at 3,165 ft. The final leg is a drive to northern Vermont to tackle the state’s highest peak, Mount Mansfield at 4,395 ft.
25th September 2011, Germany: The Berlin Marathon: Starting and finishing near the Brandenburg Gate, one of Berlin's most famous landmarks, the race attracts a field of more than 40,000 athletes (well, athletes plus me and my mate Steve) who have been flocking to Berlin to run the 26.2-mile course every year since 1974. The course is flat and I am targeting my first sub-4 hour marathon finish.
6-9th October, England: Coast to Coast cycle: The classic Great British ride which covers some of Northern England’s most rugged and spectacular scenery. We will cycle 136 miles from the west coast to the east coast of England.
So that’s it: 3 weeks, 12,427 ft of mountain hiking, 26.2 miles of running and 136 miles of cycling. Will you sponsor me? We live in difficult economic times and there are many calls upon us from many worthy causes but any donation, of any amount, will make a difference and be greatly appreciated.
Thank you for your support!