Gave it my everything 

This past Friday and Saturday I completed my attempt to cover two marathon distances, Friday paddling the River Stour and then Saturday completing 26 miles carrying my paddle board kit.

Sadly, nature defeated my in my attempt to cover the paddling distance. Downed trees in the river made the journey challenging, the third one puncturing my board and leaving my unable to continue safely. 16km completed.

Saturday was more successful with an early start and just over 8 hours later I arrived home having completed 41km.

Whilst I am truly disappointed with Friday, I know I cannot account for something like that, being a rural as it is I am unable to check the route in advance and will complete the distance as soon as my board has been repaired.

As for the trail walk, jog (mainly walk) I am so happy just to have survived the distance. 

I very hope all of you who have kindly donated to such an amazing  cause will stand by your donations and allow me a couple of weeks to make the repairs and finish the paddle 💜

I gave it everything I physically could and I am proud to have taken on what I have and achieved what I did. I took up running in February 2022 and Paddling in May 2022 so I know I have tested myself in the best way possible.

Will share my pictures from both days shortly.

Thank you all again for your support, kind donations.

Time now for me to invest in some blister plasters !

Matt

This is Emmie - One in a Million

I was introduced to Emmie in recent months by Emma, a close friend of the family, and was immediately won over by this beautiful little lady as she signed me as ‘Big Matt’. Emmie is a small girl with a big personality, an even bigger smile and an infectious giggle.

Emmie Gizatullin, aged five, from Colchester has Kniest Dysplasia, a condition which only one in a million people in the world live with.

As a result Emmie has a number complex needs. This includes Achondroplasia which, as a result, means Emmie is the size of a nine-month-old. She also has a cleft palate and club feet, is non-verbal and wears hearing aids and strong glasses. Despite this, she is a very happy little girl who communicates by signing and using a communication device. Emmie loves to sing and can shuffle around on her bottom and enjoys using her specialised wheelchair.

In 2020 Emmie’s family were devastated to learn that as a result of her complex condition, the spinal surgery she needs is too risky and has now become inoperable, and she is unlikely to live past her 10th birthday. 

The family, Mum Hannah, Dad Marat, and brother Adam, have been fundraising to give Emmie the best quality of life possible, which includes a need to make adaptations to their  family home to accommodate her complex and changing needs. Emmie also needs ongoing physiotherapy and hydrotherapy to help ease her pain. Tree of Hope Charity have been supporting the family and their efforts but they still have a long way to go in their fundraising to make all the changes required.

The family don’t know everything that they are going to need for Emmie in the future but want to be prepared. Without the surgeries, which are considered too dangerous by her medical team, she will likely lose use of her limbs and potentially also her sight. 

The families main focus is raising money to continue to access the private medical support Emmie needs and adapt their home to include a lift, adapted bathroom and a room big enough for her specialist bed. 

All fundraising will be going to Emmie and her family and will contribute immensely to ensuring they can access everything Emmie needs to make her time as fulfilling, active, enjoyable and painless as possible. 

I want to add my support to their amazing efforts and raise funds by challenging myself to complete two marathon distances in 36 hours on the 16/17 September 2022, by paddling 26.2 miles followed by a 26.2 miles trail walk carrying all my paddle board equipment with me (50lb rucksack). 

My fundraising challenge will not be an easy one but I know it pales into insignificance to the those that little Emmie is faced with everyday.

The routes are River Stour and the Stour Valley Trail Marathon - both local to Colchester traversing the Essex and Suffolk borders.

I understand and appreciate that it is financially difficult for many families at this time, however it doesn't matter how much or how little you are able to offer, every donation counts and will make a difference.

Thank you for taking the time to read about Emmie and my fundraiser.

My training for the 16/17 September 2022 challenge has begun. Please check back for updates. I will share as many as I can over the next couple of months as I build up the distances over land and water ! If you see me training in Colchester or the surrounding countryside or on the water, please say hello as all support welcome !

18 June - First outing, Highwoods Country Park, Colchester  (7.65km)

21 June - Trail walk, Wivenhoe (10.30km)

25 June - Colchester 5k Park Run carrying Paddle Board kit

10 July - Nayland 10k. Incorporating part of the Stour Valley route, this was actually 11k and very much a trail route including many long inclines, styes and kissing gates to navigate and a near 30 degree heat. Time to recover