Dad-of-two David Blackmore has set himself a tough three-day sporting challenge between two Scottish Maggie’s Centres – and hopes to smash a £200,000 charity fund-raising goal.
Setting off on September 11, the Glasgow car company director will run a total of three marathons, kayak 23 miles and cycle 68 miles from Inverness to Glasgow.
His Xtreme 3 challenge target is to collect £10,000 in sponsorship to add to the incredible £190,000 already raised by his firm, Fleet Alliance.
David, 49, said: “This will be the hardest 168 miles of my life but as I push my limits both physically and mentally I will be focusing on the great work that Maggie’s do for cancer patients and their families.”
The Xtreme 3 route
David’s 168-mile X3 challenge will follow two of Scotland’s famous long-distance trails, the Great Glen Way and the West Highland Way. He has set himself three days of phyiscal challenges, including tough off-road running, kayaking on Loch Ness and Loch Lomond and road cycling.
David will be supported by colleagues from Fleet Alliance, who will provide mobile back-up and storage for the challenge supplies, including 30 bottles of water, 30 protein and energy snacks, four freeze sprays, three bottles of anti-midge spray and six foil blankets.
Xtreme 3 Day 1
74 miles of running, kayaking and cycling
David will start his challenge in Maggie’s Centre Inverness with a 22-mile run along the Great Glen Way to Drumnadrochit. From there, David he will kayak 11 miles to Invermoriston on Loch Ness. The first day finishes with a 41-mile cycle to Fort William.
Xtreme 3 Day 2
55 miles of off-road running
David will continue the challenge with a tough 55-mile run on the West Highland Way from Fort William to Inverarnan.
Xtreme 3 Day 3
39 miles of kayaking and cycling
David will start his final challenge day with a 12-mile kayak along Loch Lomond from Ardlui to Rowardennan before a 27-mile cycle to Maggie’s Gartnavel Centre in Glasgow.
David’s fund-raising goals
David, who lives with his family in Dunlop in Ayrshire, is no stranger to fundraising. He’s previously participated in four Maggie’s Monster Bike and Hike events, skydived from 30,000 feet and cycled around North Kintyre and the Firth of Clyde as part of the Five Ferries Challenge.
He has spent a week in Nairobi, Kenya, helping to raise awareness of the Siloam Orphanage and the invaluable work they do educating children in the face of extreme poverty.
However, David’s efforts are not unique within Fleet Alliance, which manages company car fleets for UK-wide businesses. Over the last six years, the 50-strong workforce has collectively raised more than £190,000 for many charities, with Maggie’s Cancer Centres being one of those closest to their hearts.
Maggie’s provides free practical, emotional and social support to people with cancer and their family and friends. Built in the grounds of NHS cancer hospitals, Maggie’s Centres are places with professional staff on hand to offer the support people need.
Martin Brown, Fleet Alliance managing director, who is also a board member for Maggie’s Centres, said: “Our desire to do our bit for charity is a fundamental aspect of our culture. We call it ‘Fleet Alliance Loves’ because it underpins our work ethic: To improve ourselves both personally and professionally by having fun, performing work for charity and caring for the environment.
“For 2015, we set the fund-raising bar higher than ever, part of which includes raising as much money as possible in support of Maggie’s X3 and in aid of Maggie’s Cancer Centres. Our initial target for the event is £10,000 and donations from staff, suppliers, friends and family are already flooding in.”
Kerry Craig, Centre Head at Maggie’s Gartnavel said: “We’re so impressed at the enormous challenge that David is taking on for Maggie’s.
“Support like David’s is invaluable in making sure we can continue to be here for anyone with cancer, and their family and friends, when they need us most.”
To donate and support David see Maggie’s X3