Ed Chapman, 55, from Bude, and Phil Howells, 62, from Ledbury, are taking on two monumental challenges in aid of their favourite charity, COCO. The business partners chose two of the hardest and most extreme physical challenges on the planet.
They have already taken part in the 6633 Extreme Ultra Marathon – a race through the Arctic in the wintertime. Competitors must carry or drag on sledges all the supplies they need to race 350 miles through the Arctic Circle. ‘6633′ is the latitude in degrees and minutes of the Arctic Circle where the race takes the athletes.
Unfortunately the 2009 race didn’t go quite as planned for the two men. Ed was pulled out with frostbite and, although Phil managed to go further, he was forced to withdraw with hypothermia.
Only 20 people are allowed to take part each year. Most of the previous entrants had already competed in winter races in the Yukon, Alaska and North America. Without exception they said the 6633 Ultra was the toughest race they’d taken part in. Not many complete it.
Ed is happy to try again however: “This is truly the toughest race on the planet, minus 40 degrees centigrade has to be experienced before you can have idea of how cold it is. Next time we will know what to expect.”
Their second challenge takes them to the opposite end of the temperature scale; 40 degrees centigrade in the Kalahari Desert.
The Kalahari Augrabies Extreme Marathon consists of running 150 miles in six stages over seven days. This race is limited to 100 entrants and will take place on the 2 to 11 October 2009.
Ed and Phil have been training hard running with rucksacks weighing 10kg over distances beyond the standard marathon. The Cornish Cliffs and the Malvern Hills have been great training grounds; however the poor weather over the summer hasn’t helped them to acclimatise to running in very hot conditions.
Ed and Phil’s chosen charity is COCO, a children’s charity working on closely monitored education and healthcare initiatives that make a big difference to the lives of children living in poverty throughout the developing world.
The charity was founded by former Olympic athlete Steve Cram in 2000 and has since raised over £1.3m.
The two men say they have seen COCO at work in South Africa and Tanzania and know that what they do actually helps people. Both Ed and Phil started to support the charity when they ran the Comrades Marathon in South Africa and saw the extreme suffering of AIDS orphans and the help that COCO was providing.
Laura Elliott, Fundraising and Marketing Coordinator of COCO, said: “Ed and Phil have been long standing supporters of COCO and the challenges that they endure in order to better the lives of children in our projects is truly inspirational and admirable. We are extremely lucky to have two committed individuals who are prepared to go to extraordinary lengths for COCO. We wish them all the best!”
For 2010 Ed and Phil say they are taking on less demanding challenges: “Well, in terms of time away from the business that is. We are doing the ‘Across and Around’ challenge which involves running 140 miles from the West coast of England to the East coast in March, and in August running in the Ultra Tour du Monte Blanc, 104 miles in one go around Monte Blanc with a total ascent of 10,000 metres.”
To support Ed and Phil in their demanding challenges and to donate to their cause please go to their fundraising page http://www.everyclick.com/ed–phil
