Welcome to The Peter's Three Peaks Challenge Blog
Here you can keep up to date with the teams training progress, and how we're doing with our fundraising. There will also be regular photos uploaded of the team in training - so keep an eye out for those.
Week Commencing 21st July
A big thank you to Prestige Systems (our IT suppliers) who donated £250!
Thanks to Mark Sumner from M&S Security who looks after security at our Greenwich depot. They donated £300!
Week Commencing 14th July
More pics of the guys in training.
Week Commencing 7th July
Tony Thompson on The Brands Hatch Race Day Fundraising Event
We have acquired a private box at Brands Hatch racecourse on Sunday 26th October,donated by The Porsche Centre of Tonbridge Wells.
We will be raffling the tickets out to everyone in the company to try and raise as much as we can. All the money we raise will go into the Three Peaks Challenge fund.
We have 24 race day tickets; the winners of the raffle tickets will receive two race day tickets each. If you are a lucky winner all you have to do is get there, you will have a free pass to get into the course and free parking. Find your way to Porsches private box next to the Grandstand and you will be met by myself and a Porsche representative (Aaron) who will look after you for the day.
There will be hot and cold drinks and a full buffet laid on at about 1pm (free). It will only be Peter's staff in the box on the day. You are free to go in and out the box and walk round the course and get close to the finish line. There is a bar at the course if you fancy having a couple of beers, unfortunately I could not talk Porsche into picking up the bar bill!
If you like cars and fancy a good day out please buy some raffle tickets - as you will receive two tickets you could bring a relative or friend. On the day there will be 5 races:
1. Formula Palmer Audi Autumn Trophy
2. Heritage Grand Touring Car Challenge
3. Ginetta Racing
4. MSVR Open Sports Racing
5. MSVR Open saloons
Please see your depot manager for tickets and make sure your name, depot and contact number is on the back of the ticket stubs. The tickets are £1 each or £5 a strip.
Don’t forget all the money raised is going to charity.
John McAughtrie was unable to train last weekend due to a calf injury. If anyone would like to express their sympathy, send John a caring email!
Week Commencing 30th June
Tony Thompson & John Llewellyn hit the pavement
On Tuesday James Osgood visited the Greenwich depot and we laid on Saveloy and chips for lunch! Myself and John L feeling very guilty decided to go for a run after work.
The run which was about a mile and 1/4 and it took as about 15 minutes.
We hit the streets of Greenwich at about 7 pm and ran once round the block and back. I don't know about 3 peaks but I can barely run 3 yards!
I need to build up my stamina if I'm to get to the top of Ben Nevis. Weighing in at just under 14 stone, I'm setting myself a target to get down to 13 stone.
If you're wondering why we are laughing in the photos, I pulled up at the hotel to meet John for the run, and the security guard tried to charge me £5.00 for parking my car. After about 5 minutes of chit chat and a bit of bull, I had the Security not only personally looking after my car but taking the photos too - all for free. The persuasion of a pieman!
Vince Edes on stepping up his training
This weekend saw me step up my training with the help of my wife Dawn (task master?)
Saturday saw a trip to Newcastle Races and instead of the customary taxi it was decided we'd walk. Fine for me but not too clever for her in her high heels. The walk back was somewhat comical with her in her posh racing outfit and barefoot. A gentle 2 miles there and 2 miles back, sore feet for her and an empty wallet for me!
Sunday was down to serious business walking most of the length of Druridge Bay in Northumberland. Just to add to the task Dawn decided we'd walk 3 miles or so south on the soft sand. This she informed me would make my calf muscles work and believe me she was right (NB - it's now Monday and they hurt, that's putting it politely!) On reaching the south of the bay at Cresswell she allowed me to have a rum and raisin ice cream. I told her in that my experience a couple of pints of cold beer had always been highly beneficial but she was having none of it, ice cream it was.
We then "tabbed" back to the car with my "coach" allowing me to walk on the firm sand and have a gentle paddle as we headed back up the bay. The round trip was around 6 miles, my calf muscles hurt and my forehead is glowing from sunburn. The humorous comment of Vince you look like a tomato was repeatedly used in the Edes household last night.
We intend to repeat the walk one night this week with a walk the full length of the bay next Sunday, approximately ten miles. This will include the 5 miles southward on the soft sand again!
Please note on the photograph Mrs Edes is drinking Mr Edes isn't - that's dedication!
Week Commencing 23rd June
Sunday 22nd June - The teams first training session
On a wet and windy Sunday morning at 5.30am 3 intrepid fundraisers were awakening from a good nights sleep. It was time to get up and tackle Pen y Fan on their first days training in what will be a challenging three months. Arriving at the foot of Pen Y Fan it was eerily quiet and all that could be heard was the sound of wind, and no it wasn't from Ken, blowing the branches on the trees and howling up the valley ahead. All kitted up and ready to go the three men set off on their 4.5km walk. Ken set off at a blistering pace and to be fair maintained this pretty much throughout, it was the thought of getting back to eat his picnic that kept him going all day, meanwhile John and Justin kept a good pace behind. Half way up we met up with some of Kens old flames BaaaBara and Maaaaagaret (photos attached) and they didn't seem to pleased to see him again hiding their tails between their legs and running away...??
On we went to the summit of Corn Du where we were met by some ferocious gails. They were that strong they even threatened to blow Ken off his feet, some task let me tell you and feat only matched when he met his dear wife, aaaaaahhhhh. Justin and John, massively lighter were being blown like rag dolls although all eventually made it to the top to see the wonderful view - of the clouds!!
There were patches of cloudlessness but not very often, which was dissapointing. Nevermind it was off to Pen Y Fan and accross the ridge.
Pen Y Fan stood there in the distance with very unwelcoming arms and a bloody big cloud to hide exactly how much further we had to go, which wasn't a bad thing..
Eventually we made it to the top and were once again met by some serious gusts of wind. Over we went to the North East ridge to view the 300m fall to the ground below. This was spectacular and was worth the walk...after 10 minutes walking around the football field sized summit it was off again to face the Westerly winds on our descent back to selected picnic zone.
Getting to the bottom was a welcome relief for our calves and backs and the sandwiches were out of Kens rucksack before we could say Peters Three Peaks Challenge.
Feeling refreshed from our food and drinks we decided we would do this every weekend and possibly a few nights during the week so please keep visiting for more updates!
Photos - click to enlarge
Week Commencing 16th June
Peter's met with CLIC Sargent in a kick off meeting.
Sponsorship forms are being printed free of charge by Pink Panther - Thanks Jon
Talgarth Bakery kindly donated £500 - Thank You Howard and all at Talgarth
Michelle Evans has raised £280 in 2 days - Well done Michelle
Well done to Tony Thompson - he has aquired an executive box at Brands Hatch race track which will hold 30 people. We plan to raffle a prize where the winners can use this executive box for a day with food and drink provided. The lucky winners will have the chance to see supercars such as Ferraris, Porsches and Lamborghinis drive around the track. The event will take place in July so keep your eyes peeled for raffle tickets.
This weekend the team are embarking on their first of many training exercises. They are going to walk up Pen-Y-Fan in Breacon which stands at 863 Metres high. I'm sure they'll bring back plenty of photographs of themselves falling in the mud!
Week Commencing 9th June
Peter's announce the Three Peaks Challenge event and the team members - Justin Griffiths, John McAughtrie, Vince Edes, Tony Thompson, Ken Blackman and John Llewellyn.
The team have had their kit measurements taken. The largest waist size taken was over 40 inches - can anyone guess who's waste that was?!?