Marathon man who just can’t stop giving
Published: January 14, 2006
A KEEN sportsman is set to take on three gruelling challenges to raise funds for a city-based charity.
John Airey (40) will pound the streets of the capital when he takes part in the London Marathon, before heading off on his bike to take part in the Etape du Tour (a stage of the Tour de France), and then returning to England to complete the Great North Run.
This year the Etape du Tour involves cycling 118 miles and scaling three mountains, the last of which is the famed Alpe D’Huez, which starts at around 110 miles.
IT manager John, who works for the Royal National Institute of the Blind (RNIB), has been a keen cyclist since the age of 21 and he has been running since the age of 14.
He said: “You are pushing your body to the limit over and over again to build up fitness. Without the support of my wife and two children I wouldn’t be able to do this.
“As for the events, the London Marathon is a warm up event compared to the eight or nine hours it’ll take me to complete the Etape.”
John completed the Etape du Tour and the Great North Run in 2005 to raise funds for the RNIB, collecting £1,100.
This year he hopes to double that and will once again give the money to the charity.
John, from Millfield, said: “The RNIB relies on donations to provide valuable services for blind and visually impaired people.”
qPeople can sponsor John by going to his sponsorship page on the Just Giving website at www.justgiving.com/rnibetape and following the link ’sponsor me now’.
With the Just Giving system of sponsoring, the money goes directly to the RNIB and taxpayers can use Gift Aid to add 28 per cent to their gift at no cost to themselves.
Find out more about John’s triple challenge at www.rnib.org.uk/etape
John’s triple challenge
John will hit the streets of the capital on April 23 for the London Marathon. He will run the gruelling 26-mile course, crossing the finish line beside Buckingham Palace.
On July 10, John will head to France with his racing bike for the Etape du Tour. The 118-mile course will see John cycle in the Alps, pedalling up three mountains en route – the Col d’Izoard, the Col du Lautaret and the Alpe d’Huez.
John’s final challenge, the Great North Run, will see him complete the half-marathon course on October 1, running from Newcastle to South Shields.
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