THE LONG TREAD - RAISE AWARENESS OF MENTAL HEALTH

My name is Dominic Renshaw, I've spent my life seeking outdoor activities and adventures. Following a near-death experience climbing Mount Everest (full account at the bottom), I have decided to raise funds for Blackdog Outdoors, to raise awareness for the importance of mental health issues and the connection to the great outdoors.

What is The Long Tread?

The Long Tread is a unique challenge that will commence on April 15th, 2023 and is expected to last around 42 days. The goal of this challenge is to set a new world record, and world first by pulling a tyre down the entire length of the United Kingdom. Dominic Renshaw is undertaking this task, and no one has ever tried to accomplish this feat before. The journey will involve walking 2 million steps, scaling 30,000 feet (which is equivalent to the height of Mt Everest), burning about 200,000 calories, and pulling a spare tyre.

Why attempt The Long Tread?

Dominic Renshaw is driven to attempt The Long Tread due to his lifelong pursuit of outdoor activities and adventures. After facing a near-death experience while climbing Mt Everest, he decided to raise funds for Blackdog Outdoors while also promoting the importance of mental health issues and the connection to nature.

There are specific rules that must be followed during The Long Tread Challenge.

1) The journey will begin in John O Groats and end in Lands End

2) The tyre must be pulled the entire way.

3) Camping all the way in my own tent - No hotels, or B & B’s are allowed.

4) Cooking my own food is also mandatory, and no restaurants or cafes are permitted.

5) There will be no backup support or anyone following Dominic, including nobody responsible for booking his campsites.

Daily on my YouTube Channel "Resetting Your Compass" - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCcBoQK8KtKnLZJowz3l7oIg if you would like to follow the challenge live.

Sport and recreation play a vital role in improving mental health. The effects of outdoor activities can reduce stress, improve mood, promote self-esteem and improve health and general well-being. So when I came across the Blackdog Outdoors charity, I realised that the decision made on Everest a few years earlier was for a reason. I am now passionate about promoting the idea of “green exercise” to those that will benefit from it, providing opportunities for those people to take up outdoor activities, and supporting and encouraging them as they set out on their individual adventures.

I would love for you to join me in making a difference. I'm raising money in aid of Blackdog Outdoors and every donation will help. Thank you in advance for your contribution to this cause which means so much to me.

WHO ARE BLACKDOG OUTDOORS?

Blackdog Outdoors is a charity that promotes outdoor exercise to improve mental health and well-being. They actively encourage people to take up outdoor activities and, to help people on their way, they organise recreational events for people to attend at no cost.

Poor mental health is a growing concern in the UK. Statistics from the 2014 APMS (Adult Psychiatric Morbidity Survey) have highlighted that “every week, one in six adults will experience symptoms of a common mental health problem”. Startlingly, the survey also highlights that “one in five adults has considered taking their own life at some point”. It’s a fair assumption that, based on these facts, many people visiting this website will have been affected by mental health issues; either directly, or indirectly through family and friends.

The role of sport and recreation in improving mental health is now becoming increasingly clear. The effects of outdoor activities can include stress reduction, improved mood, improved self-esteem and improved health and general well-being. The real challenge lies in promoting the idea of “green exercise” to those that will benefit from it, providing opportunities for those people to take up outdoor activities, and supporting and encouraging them as they set out on their individual adventures.

As a signatory of the Mental Health Charter, Blackdog Outdoors is working closely with organisations such as the British Mountaineering Council, Mountain Training Association and Mountaineering Scotland to help further promote mental health issues within their respective communities.

Blackdog Outdoors is managed by a small team of volunteers, whose shared interests include climbing, walking, paddle sports, biking, and the outdoors in general.

Their website provides a hub of information, confirmed events and links to social media pages on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. We hope that their work introduces you to many fine adventures, helps you meet like-minded people, and provides you with the opportunity to develop new skills and abilities. Most importantly, we hope that it helps you to improve your mental health and well-being.

Good luck, and enjoy, from all of us at Blackdog Outdoors.

Andrew Higson - Director

THE HARDEST DECISION OF MY LIFE

IMPORTANT: Below is a raw personal account by Dominic Renshaw of summit night on the North side of Mt Everest. Typed on his mobile phone at 7000m and completed at 6500m, no editing has taken place, this is exactly what happened

"Just when everything was going so smoothly. Could it get any harder? Oh Yes!"

Summit night, we are sitting at camp 3, 8300m, only a few mountains are higher than this in the world. It's about 9pm and we can hear people shuffling around in their tents, just two hours to go until we start the summit push. Getting ready, it freezing, try to put all your kit on is no easy task and takes 2 hours.

10.58pm just minutes to go I'm sharing with Martin yep the extra tall chap. We are a few minutes late, but no worries a large group is easy to catch as they naturally move slower through the technical sections.

But what was happening I couldn't make the couple of minutes back, and every step was causing me to be breathless. Must be nervous, hey lets keep going. The route up to the ridge gets very steep, and i mean very steep remember it's dark, cold with just head touches to light the way. We were constantly taking the expedition mits on and off to clip into the rope, but all this did was make your hands cold.

After an hour or so we neared the ridge, i realise something didn't quit feel right, every step meant I was out of breath. I simply couldn't get a single breath something wasn't right i shouldn't be feeling like this I was on 2.5 itres of oxygen per minute and should have had no problem breathing, oddly it was easier to breath with the mask off rather than having the mask on. Alarm bells were ringing, my Sherpa kept checking, and could hear gas from the outside, but I certainly could not feel it on the inside, I was not getting the oxygen I so desperately needed.

Ok let's check the energy levels, grabbed some high energy gells. They should kick in soon. As we had reached the ridge up around 8500m it flattens out so this plus the energy gells should make it easy. No! I could only take three steps and I was Keeling over deprived of Oxygen. The same check on the mask, hitting it to release any ice, but no sound of gas this time either.

This is where it became serious, I've been climbing without oxygen for some time now and was around 8500m, time to make a decision I needed oxygen.

Thank god my brain was still just about working as I had noticed my walking, was getting wobbly, add in the sheer drops close to the path and this was a rather dangerous place to be. I heard Martin who was just behind call out for the third time is everything alright, second alarm bells, clearly he could also see something was wrong as well.

Decisions around me were happening, some saying carry on, others I could see were not so optermistic. My brain kicked into gear, what was I doing, clearly something was wrong and simply hitting the mask was not resolving the problem, i was clearly lacking in oxygen. I simply said 'I'm going down, no questions.' Khama my Summit Sherpa kicked into gear, and we were off. Well I say we were off remember I'm still only able to move 3 steps before Keeling over.

I'll just take a second out before I explain the decent. Remember I'm at 8500m its freezing, dark except for head lamps, and we are on a ridge with sheer drops either side. You can't call an emergency number at this altitude it's up to you to get yourself down and the decent is not a simple walk, it serious climbing. If you become unresponsive at this altitude sadly your options become very limited, as I knew this was a serious possibility if I didn't get oxygen soon.

Back to the decent, we moved slowly across the ridge I found it easier to let air into the bottom of the mask than try endlessly sucking it from the mask. Now we turned to the real decent, when I say it was a serious scramble I'm underestimating. The real problem was the hand abseils (basically grabbing a rope in your hand and absailing, but without the belay device) I had to stop half way down each section as I simply could not breath, clinging on to a freezing rock, in the dark with your lugs burning its not something I want to experience again. Ice, snow, rock, darkness add in not thinking 100% clearly because of the lack of oxygen and the altitude if 8500m. We moved slowly down the decent, not a time to slip or take a wrong step. That said we got to the end of one rope and it wasn't connected to anything, we had managed to clip into the wrong rope, thank god we didn't slip, but it showed how easy it is to make a simple mistake that could be fatal.

It seemed to take an age but finally we are back at camp 3 (8300m), huge thanks the Khama showing the way and been exceptionally patient at my incredibly slow pace. Back at the tent I'm still keeled over and get the mask, regulator and oxygen bottle into the tent. It takes us nearly 10 mins to get it working, changing oxygen bottles, getting any excess ice from the mask, adjusting the regulator. We could hear gas but nothing to the mask. Finally it sprung into life I had air, and did it feel good! Even sleeping without oxygen at this altitude is not advisable.

A lot goes through your mind when something like this happens. Getting back safely was always the number one priority and the decision to turn around when I did was mine, these decisions define who you are in life and I'd have no hesitation in making the same decision again if put in the same position.

Well what can I say, what an adventure which was priority number two,I however don't recommend climbing at such altitude without oxygen I can testify first hand it's not good for you.

Yep the summit would have been nice, and I don't regret not making the summit the decision was the right one .

As most of you know i'm not or wasn't an emotional guy but I had to shard a tear at how close another decision could have had a very different outcome, even just going on for another hour may well have meant I would still be there now!

Remember it's still not over I grabbed 4hours sleep. I'm still sitting at 8300m and still have to get down. Woke early and grabbed a quick drink, could I get down to ABC today? Setting off down the 60c snowslopes I was moving well, until. Camp two 7900m then the earlier exploits started to take there tole. I stopped many times as I moved through camp two at 7900m to 7400m, it's exceptionally steep in places. Finally I made it to the snow slope which leads to the top of the North Col, this took ages the fatigue and dehydration took its tole and it took a long time to decend to 7000m and I was spent. I took the decision to jump into a tent and tackle the ice wall down to ABC tomorrow, a good decision. Oddly no one else was there, this was the meeting point it you summited or not. Finally two of our team turned up looking in the same shape as me. We all stayed overnight and tackling the ice wall together the next day. Finally back at ABC, getting from the ridge to ABC was brutal, but essential, it's a long walk to Basecamp but at least all the danger of climbing and most of the altitude had gone. Funny how 6400m or 6 times the height of Snowdone all of a sudden feels a safe place to be. Finally hiked the 23km out to Basecamp.

What more can I say, I aimed for 8894m and hit 8500m, pritty close so I'll take that.

Something far more important had happened I had been able to make the correct decision at the right time to turn around, many have sadly not done this and still lie on Everest to this day

I certainly don't regret not standing on the summit it was one hell of an adventure that I'll know doubt be talking about for years to come. I didn't know I had it in me to make the hardest decision of my life, but it appears I do.

Cheers

Dom

Blackdog Outdoors work is purely voluntary and they rely on funding and donations to ensure their events remain free to attend. If you’d like to donate, to support their work, then please click the button to donate.

We have had to redo a new page because "Donations have been turned off because the charity connected to this fundraiser is no longer supported by our payment partner." - As such the old page will cease to exist as soon as GoFundMe delete it and reassign the old URL to this page. I am adding the donations below that came in via the old page.

Gay Pinkerton - £10

Anonymous - £20

Chris Plumb - £50

Anonymous - £50

Anonymous - £10

Kevin Wotherspoon - £50

Frank Renshaw - £25

Anonymous - £20

Sandra Walsh - £10

Sarah Parker - £25

Carolynne Conway - £50

THE LONG TREAD - RAISE AWARENESS OF MENTAL HEALTH

£320 raised

11 donations