A group of work colleagues will put their best feet forward to run as many 10ks as they can in 24 hours to raise money for a mental health charity.
The seven runners expect to run around 300 miles between them during Equinox 24, a 24-hour relay race in the grounds of Belvoir Castle, in Leicestershire.
The gruelling challenge on September 23 is being taken on by staff from Lubrizol, in Hazelwood, to bring in cash for the firm’s chosen charity Derbyshire MIND.
Last year the team ran 10 days of 10ks, clocking up an impressive 500 miles over the challenge, collectively raising £600 for the charity, with the firm topping up that sum by a further £500.
Patricia Standen, a technology manager, said: “After completing last year’s challenge we decided we had to do something even bigger if we were going to ask people to make donations again.
“Derbyshire MIND is a fantastic charity and as runners we all have a fond affection for it – a lot of us run to clear our minds and we understand the importance of mental health and the impact exercise and fresh air can have on it.
“Knowing this is a team event helps encourage you to go out and train because you don’t want to let your colleagues down. I’m off to America soon with work and I will be taking my trainers with me.
“We hope to manage about four or five laps each, although some of the team will manage six. We’re just hoping for good weather; fingers crossed it doesn’t rain.”
The group will stay in tents during the challenge and have persuaded a group of family and friends to join them to provide encouragement and refreshments.
The team, which they have named the Well-Oiled Machine, will consist of Patricia, Will Durkin, Ant Shacklock, Alex Haythornthwaite, Richard Brenda, Brad Green and Rachel Emmerson.
They will use head torches to negotiate the terrain during the night time runs and the course will be illuminated by glow sticks rather than lights.
Chemist Richard Brenda said: “I got involved in running to support both the charity and also my colleagues in what they were doing.
“One of the hardest things is just getting into the mood to get on the running gear for training. This is where the group discipline really helps – I know nobody else will back out so I wouldn’t want to be that guy.”
The colleagues are not always able to train together, so they stay in contact via a social media group which allows them to share their running information.
If you would like to make a donation please visit https://mydonate.bt.com/teams/welloiledmachine
ENDS
For further information please contact Sarah Newton at Penguin PR on 01332 416228 or email sarah@penguinpr.co.uk
