Take 12
Donation protected
As part of the fundraising campaign to raise money for the Gryphons Abroad project , I’m attempting to complete 12 sponsored sporting endeavours in 2016.
As the link above details, the Gryphons Abroad project is a life-changing sport and education programme run with the Bambasinani Partnership in South Africa. It gives young students better access to education, and opens new windows of opportunity. It also allows Leeds University students and staff to experience differences and similarities in cultures and values elsewhere in the world – which I think we can all benefit from.
This year, the Gryphons Abroad will deliver two projects: Inspiring through Education, raising educational aspirations, and Cycling to Success, enabling students more increased, affordable, sustainable transport. Students may drop out of education due to walking up to 8 miles to school, so this will be life-changing.
I know there are a lot of worthy causes out there. So, why this one?
Firstly, I know colleagues going to South Africa do a genuine and fantastic job there, so it’s because of personal involvement. But also, unsurprisingly, it has to do with my first love… bicycles.
My cycling obsession started in 2012, when someone bet I couldn’t cycle to London from my home in the Scottish Highlands. The full story is on my blog, but the basics are: a £50 second-hand bicycle, a little practice while I transitioned from motorbike to pedal power, and seven days later I was in London, bored. A day’s rest, and I set off for Portsmouth, and then I couldn’t cycle any further ‘cause the sea was in the way. Cycling to the other end of the country proved to me that I could achieve impressive physical feats, and – clichéd as it sounds – it was also a vital spiritual journey, helping me to recover, discover and aspire.
Since then, I’ve volunteered at numerous bicycle workshops and co-operatives, gained a decent working knowledge of bikes, and helped others to do so. I’ve cycled to Land’s End, and given talks at Leeds Beckett about women, independence and cycling. As well as fitness, it’s had a huge effect on my confidence and life journey. I’d not have moved to Yorkshire had I not cycled through it the year before the Tour de France, and thought hey, this is the place for cyclists to be.
So I want to support a project to enable others to raise their aspirations through cycling. To help get them to places they want to be, and to help make all places ones for cyclists.
The events I’ve opted for are below. Thank you for any sponsorship you can donate. I’m aware it seems like donating money for me to do things I want to do anyway, but I wouldn’t be doing such a challenge in this manner if I wasn’t inspired by this cause. All monies donated go to the casue – I’ve paid entrance fees, transport et al myself, which had totalled several hundred pounds.
I’ll be updating my blog - https://uphillfromhere.wordpress.com/ -
after each event – say hi.
Catriona
The chosen 12 events:
January: Serpentine 10k Road Race, 1st January, London
As everyone else is recovering from new year celebrations, I’ll be kicking it off fairly gently with a nice flat 10k through London.
February: Harewood half marathon, 28th February, 2015
Stepping it up a gear (and maybe visiting the penguins afterwards).
March: RBL Major North: 20th March, 2015
Adding some more mud, some barbed wire, hay bales and logs. And a bit more running (should be quite good at that by this point).
April: Yorkshire 3 peaks: TBC
Pen-y-Ghent (691 metres), Whernside (728 metres) and Ingleborough (723 metres). In one day. Phew.
May: Leeds Half Marathon: 8th May, 2016
Been there done that. Trying to beat 01:49:25 (yes, those 25 seconds matter).
June: Leeds Triathlon: 12 June, 2015
Speaking about being daunted by the prospect of doing my first triathlon, a customer at work told me that one of the best triathlon competitions is in Leeds this year. Not that that helps the nerves at all. Sorted.
July: Leeds–John O’Groats: July, TBC
Having done Leeds to Lands End in 2015, it’s time to complete the other half of the cycle.
August: National 3 peaks: August, TBC
The Yorkshire three peaks in April was just practice, really. Snowdon in Wales (1085 metres), Scafell Pike (978 metres) and Ben Nevis (1344 metres). It’ll be a walk in the park… with extra hilly bits.
September: Bala Triathlon: 04 September, 2016
This one is dependant on me not drowning in the first triathlon... I was born here, so a bit of a spiritual return. Hopefully the repeat visit won't be quite as traumatic.
October: Leicester marathon: 23 October, 2016
Time to bite the bullet this year and actually do a proper marathon. Leicester is the chosen one.
November: Hadrian’s wall: TBC, November 2016
I’ve always wanted to do this walk, crossing the wall which runs from east to west along the Scottish border. Perhaps it seems a bit of a tame one in comparison – maybe I’ll walk it backwards to make it more exciting. Maybe.
December: Xmas 10k on a Space Hopper: 18 (TBC) December 2016
A fun one to finish, and back in Leeds. The Christmas 10k… which I propose to do on a space hopper.
As the link above details, the Gryphons Abroad project is a life-changing sport and education programme run with the Bambasinani Partnership in South Africa. It gives young students better access to education, and opens new windows of opportunity. It also allows Leeds University students and staff to experience differences and similarities in cultures and values elsewhere in the world – which I think we can all benefit from.
This year, the Gryphons Abroad will deliver two projects: Inspiring through Education, raising educational aspirations, and Cycling to Success, enabling students more increased, affordable, sustainable transport. Students may drop out of education due to walking up to 8 miles to school, so this will be life-changing.
I know there are a lot of worthy causes out there. So, why this one?
Firstly, I know colleagues going to South Africa do a genuine and fantastic job there, so it’s because of personal involvement. But also, unsurprisingly, it has to do with my first love… bicycles.
My cycling obsession started in 2012, when someone bet I couldn’t cycle to London from my home in the Scottish Highlands. The full story is on my blog, but the basics are: a £50 second-hand bicycle, a little practice while I transitioned from motorbike to pedal power, and seven days later I was in London, bored. A day’s rest, and I set off for Portsmouth, and then I couldn’t cycle any further ‘cause the sea was in the way. Cycling to the other end of the country proved to me that I could achieve impressive physical feats, and – clichéd as it sounds – it was also a vital spiritual journey, helping me to recover, discover and aspire.
Since then, I’ve volunteered at numerous bicycle workshops and co-operatives, gained a decent working knowledge of bikes, and helped others to do so. I’ve cycled to Land’s End, and given talks at Leeds Beckett about women, independence and cycling. As well as fitness, it’s had a huge effect on my confidence and life journey. I’d not have moved to Yorkshire had I not cycled through it the year before the Tour de France, and thought hey, this is the place for cyclists to be.
So I want to support a project to enable others to raise their aspirations through cycling. To help get them to places they want to be, and to help make all places ones for cyclists.
The events I’ve opted for are below. Thank you for any sponsorship you can donate. I’m aware it seems like donating money for me to do things I want to do anyway, but I wouldn’t be doing such a challenge in this manner if I wasn’t inspired by this cause. All monies donated go to the casue – I’ve paid entrance fees, transport et al myself, which had totalled several hundred pounds.
I’ll be updating my blog - https://uphillfromhere.wordpress.com/ -
after each event – say hi.
Catriona
The chosen 12 events:
January: Serpentine 10k Road Race, 1st January, London
As everyone else is recovering from new year celebrations, I’ll be kicking it off fairly gently with a nice flat 10k through London.
February: Harewood half marathon, 28th February, 2015
Stepping it up a gear (and maybe visiting the penguins afterwards).
March: RBL Major North: 20th March, 2015
Adding some more mud, some barbed wire, hay bales and logs. And a bit more running (should be quite good at that by this point).
April: Yorkshire 3 peaks: TBC
Pen-y-Ghent (691 metres), Whernside (728 metres) and Ingleborough (723 metres). In one day. Phew.
May: Leeds Half Marathon: 8th May, 2016
Been there done that. Trying to beat 01:49:25 (yes, those 25 seconds matter).
June: Leeds Triathlon: 12 June, 2015
Speaking about being daunted by the prospect of doing my first triathlon, a customer at work told me that one of the best triathlon competitions is in Leeds this year. Not that that helps the nerves at all. Sorted.
July: Leeds–John O’Groats: July, TBC
Having done Leeds to Lands End in 2015, it’s time to complete the other half of the cycle.
August: National 3 peaks: August, TBC
The Yorkshire three peaks in April was just practice, really. Snowdon in Wales (1085 metres), Scafell Pike (978 metres) and Ben Nevis (1344 metres). It’ll be a walk in the park… with extra hilly bits.
September: Bala Triathlon: 04 September, 2016
This one is dependant on me not drowning in the first triathlon... I was born here, so a bit of a spiritual return. Hopefully the repeat visit won't be quite as traumatic.
October: Leicester marathon: 23 October, 2016
Time to bite the bullet this year and actually do a proper marathon. Leicester is the chosen one.
November: Hadrian’s wall: TBC, November 2016
I’ve always wanted to do this walk, crossing the wall which runs from east to west along the Scottish border. Perhaps it seems a bit of a tame one in comparison – maybe I’ll walk it backwards to make it more exciting. Maybe.
December: Xmas 10k on a Space Hopper: 18 (TBC) December 2016
A fun one to finish, and back in Leeds. The Christmas 10k… which I propose to do on a space hopper.
Organizer
Cat Riona
Organizer
