Unfinished business gives Stephen fundraising challenge
Wednesday 1 April 2009
Cornish road runner Stephen Hole is aiming to complete some unfinished business as he sets out to raise over £1,500 for the Muscular Dystrophy Campaign by running the Duchy Marathon course this April.
29-year-old Stephen, who works as a Stock Controller at Tesco Extra Redruth Cornwall, is taking on the Duchy course for an amazing third time since he took up running as a hobby just two years ago. An annual race that attracts hundreds of runners from across the UK, the Duchy marathon is run over a 2 lap course that usually starts and finishes at a local hotel but, for Stephen's special challenge, will be starting from the Tesco store.
A famously challenging course, the Duchy takes place over long hills and open windy coastal roads which Stephen experienced at this years event held in March. Gail force head on winds and hail storms were just too much for some - including Stephen who pulled out at mile 21 due to exhaustion. This time he’s determined to finish the route to set the record straight!
With the next official Marathon set for 2010 he won’t be racing but running alone, aided by colleague Liam Teague and running partner Jo Trestrail from Carn Runners. They will both follow on pushbikes carrying water and a big bag of Jelly Babies!
Staff at the store will be collecting donations from the public while Stephen and his team hit the roads on Sunday 19 April. They hope to raise over £1500 for MDC and will also be collecting in-store on April 8 and 18 to raise money to provide children affected by muscular dystrophy with vital, specialist equipment.
The event has kindly been publicised on Cornwall’s Pirate FM 102 Radio and covered in the local paper the West Briton as Stephen spreads the word of his challenge across the county to raise all the funds he can.
You can sponsor him online www.justgiving.com/stephenhole1