What next?

Miles for Wishes was a year of challenges all in aid of Make-A-Wish UK. With 2018 fast approaching, thoughts naturally turn to “What next?”

I love Make-A-Wish and what they do and I will continue to be an active supporter and fundraiser for them, how could I not be after what has been an amazing year?

2017 has seen me take up new sports and complete a number of different events, many of which I’d never done before – over the course of the year I’ve run a 5k fun run with my girls, a 10k, a number of Half Marathons and a Marathon. I think it would be fair to say that going forward these can’t really be called a challenge anymore, because I love running and for me the goal at these will be to become faster.

Alongside the running and cycling, I planned and attempted a number of challenges of my own design. I love pushing myself further and harder and I enjoy having the freedom to plan challenges against my own limits and not necessarily being constrained by an organised event. So this will continue to be a feature and the basis for the actual challenges in 2018. I’ve therefore spent December developing some ideas for challenges which I think will test me in new ways and that are unique enough to be able to help generate interest and therefore more funds for Make-A-Wish.

So it is for those reasons that I’ve got a few different lists for 2018;

Miles for Wishes Challenges, in aid of Make-A-Wish

South Coast Sprint

A warm up to the later challenge, the aim is cycle the 400 miles from Dover to St Austell in under 40 hours.

Pure Three Peaks Challenge

This challenge consists of cycling 450m between and then trekking up the UK’s three highest peaks – Ben Nevis, Scafell Pike and Snowdon – in just 4 days.

5 Cities Challenge

This challenge will see me cycle between five European cities. The aim will be to cycle the 1,000 miles from London to Paris, Luxemburg, Brussels and finishing in Amsterdam

Welsh 3000s

One of the hardest classic walking challenges, this walk talks in all fifteen 3,000 foot peaks in Wales. The aim will be to complete the walk in 24hrs, walking from the first to the last summit.

http://bit.ly/milesforwishes

Vertical Rush, in aid of Shelter

I work for a Housing Association in Buckinghamshire – I am proud to work for an organisation that is committed to helping those in most need of housing. As such, I felt that I wanted to do more to highlight the issues some families are facing at the moment – shockingly, every 13 minutes a family in England loses their home.

Vertical Rush is very different but yet iconic challenge and will see 1,000 runners will scale Tower 42 in London – climbing 932 Steps (42 floors). By taking on Vertical Rush, we are helping Shelter to be there for those families when they need it most.

https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/paradigmverticalrush

General Running & Cycling

I’ve got some definite running events for the diary, however January and February will depend on my recover and fitness level, following the John O’Groats to Land’s End cycling challenge in November. So I’ll be using these events to try and hit a few running goals along the way – this year will be more about quality, rather than the quantity of events.

Goals

<00:20 – 5k

<00:50 – 10k

<1:40:00 – Half Marathon

Join a cycling club

Take part in a Time Trial and then get good.

Events

Reading Half Marathon – 18 March (Running)

MK Super Hero Fun Run – 7 May (Running)

Run the Rock 10k – June (Running)

Bearbrook 10k – August (Running)

Salisbury Half Marathon – October (Running)

The Adventure Bus

While I love camping my children are less enamored with it, so over the course of 2018 I will converting my Ford Transit High Top in to a DIY camper van – installing insulation, boarding it out, building beds etc.

Once underway and complete the van will be used as my home away from home as I train and complete the challenges I’ve set myself.

…anything else?

Lastly, I’ve also committed to two other causes;

• Volunteering as a Befriender for Age UK Buckinghamshire – this is a vital service for those who are lonely and isolated in the community. Having spent just 9 days largely alone it really struck me how hard life is without human interaction. So I think volunteering for a few hours a week to help someone feel less isolated is a good thing to do.
• Volunteering with Young Enterprise which is an organisation that works with students to help make a connection between school and the world of work, enabling young people to develop the knowledge and attitudes they need to succeed. I’ve been lucky enough to attend a Learn to Earn day event at a local school already and found it an amazing and refreshing experience.