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Alex Staniforth

Alex Staniforth

Adversity Adventurer, Motivational Resilience Speaker, Author and Mental Health Activist

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Update: National Three Peaks Run Challenge

You are here: Home / 3 Peaks Run / Update: National Three Peaks Run Challenge

April 19, 2020 by AdversityAdventurer Leave a Comment

Hi folks,

I hope you’re keeping well, which has albeit taken on a very real meaning recently.

In 3 weeks I was due to begin my attempt to run the National Three Peaks Challenge. This involves climbing Ben Nevis, Scafell Pike, and Snowdon, and running the entire 450-mile distance between them, self-supported, in the fastest known time.

There are obviously far more important and urgent matters unfolding in the world that should rightly be the focus of our attention and efforts. But many followers have asked about the challenge going ahead so I felt it was important to post an update.

Understandably the challenge can’t take place so soon with the current restrictions and uncertainty of what lays ahead. We all have a role to play in bringing the virus under control by exercising close to home, social distancing, and not putting any extra strain on the emergency services – which is always a real possibility in the mountains and endurance challenges. It would frankly be irresponsible to give the wrong message and encourage people to come and join me on the mountains, yet it would also be a shame for people not to be able to take part. Live streaming from a mountain won’t quite do the job.

Many athletes have had target races cancelled, holidays postponed and fundraising halted, whilst others have simply lost their weekly Parkrun routine and social circle. Meanwhile others have lost their jobs, businesses, friends and relatives, or even their own lives to COVID-19. Dreams can be replaced – lives cannot.

The cause behind the 3 Peaks is now more important than ever. We founded Mind Over Mountains earlier this year to restore mental health through outdoor experiences. We never could have anticipated that we would need to prepare ourselves for an even bigger mental health crisis that is already being felt in many ways throughout society. Now we’re even more determined that we can provide the support for those who need us most. Hopefully, the 3 Peaks Challenge can smash the £10,000 target to achieve this by funding more Mind Over Mountains events and bursaries to help people find some respite in the mountains.

In every disaster it’s important to either find the positives or create them. Recent events have been a great example of British solidarity and I’m sure we can all take inspiration from Captain Tom Moore raising £22 million by doing laps of his garden at the age of 99.

I’ve felt hugely grateful for my family, friends and health for my coach, Damian Hall, for keeping morale and my physio, Jane, for getting me back running after losing a month of quality training to tendonitis. Right now, I’ve never been more grateful for the opportunity to run just for the simple sake of running and staying mentally well. A massive thanks also to my headline sponsors, Westgrove Group, who have committed to cover my challenge costs to make it possible and so that all money raised goes directly to support Mind Over Mountains.

Although it’s currently hard to say when, as soon as safely possible this year (hopefully later this summer), I’ll be even more prepared to take on the challenge. When I began training last November I never anticipated a sprained ankle on week one, recurring tendonitis, nor a global pandemic. Running the 3 Peaks and 450 miles in 8 days will almost be the easy part!

When the time is right to do it properly, I hope my 3 Peaks challenge too can bring people back together once again.

Until then, stay safe and thanks for your support.

Alex

Mind Over Mountains is currently a C.I.C pending registration from the charity commission which we expect to receive very soon. We are still able to receive GiftAided donations via LocalGiving if you’re kindly able to DONATE HERE.

Category icon3 Peaks Run Tag icon3 peaks run,  alex staniforth,  mind over mountains,  national three peaks challenge,  record,  three peaks run

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Mind Over Mountains is a charity restoring mental health naturally through therapeutic outdoor experiences.

Read more and join us at: www.mindovermountains.org.uk

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alexstaniforth_

Climbing mountains and the mind.
Charity Founder @mindomountains
🌎 The Lake District #GetOutside
Athlete @inov_8 @ordnancesurvey @ellisbrigham

Alex Staniforth - Adventurer
Back where it all began. Running with my old man! Back where it all began. Running with my old man!

Last March I got my Parkrun PB at Keswick and this weekend got my slowest at Fell Foot.

The plan was to keep my heart rate under 145bpm to avoid another crash of fatigue, which meant walking most of the hills. It took the discipline of Yoda not to set off chasing people like the good old days, especially when my dad overtook me in the first km. 

I hated exercise as a kid. On holiday in France my stepmum bribed me with €2 to run a mile with him. That was a lot of money back then... I hated every minute but dad inspired me to enter a 10km race for charity, and the rest is history. Dad came to watch every race since, as I happily claimed the family record at every distance from 5km to marathon, whilst he retired to become a Parkrun tourist. 

Never thought he'd beat me again, but never forget where you started.
.
#LongCovid #TheComeback #MatchingJackets #parkrun #loveparkrun #fellfootpark
#LakeDistrict #lakedistrictuk #runninginspiration #Fellfoot #windermere #parkruntourist #fatherson
Much-needed adventure inspiration from @mrmarkbeau Much-needed adventure inspiration from @mrmarkbeaumont on his Faster tour at Rheged last weekend. 

Mark is the fastest person to cycle around the world in 80 days (that's 240 miles a day... for perspective) amongst many other records. He's been a huge personal inspiration and kindly endorsed my 2nd book.

So much resonated, but a few favourite takeaways: 

- Trust the process, the bigger picture will always take care of itself. 

- Remove the faff. His team had to ensure he was on the bike by 4am, not 4:05am. That would have added an entire day to his record.

- Mark had 40 people working on his world record. He knew that if he failed, the whole team failed. 

- Good times won't last forever, but that means the bad ones won't either... 

Thanks Mark. Grab his books, talks and films if you're needing some adventure inspiration! 

#faster #worldcycle #ultracycling #markbeaumont #inspiration #80days #mindset #cyclingheroes #rheged #ultracyclist 
@speakersfromtheedge
214/214 Wainwrights complete! Somehow it's taken 214/214 Wainwrights complete! 

Somehow it's taken 12 years, 8 months and 25 days since my first summit, Souther Fell, aged 14 (swipe for evidence). For those who don't know, the Wainwrights are a list of 214 summits created by legendary writer Alfred Wainwright. There was no better hill to finish than the aptly named 'Great Cockup', with a great crowd of friends.

The record is 5 days 12 hrs 14 mins... If only we hadn't stopped for a sandwich 😂 

Meanwhile @thehodfather666 is currently climbing all 214 with a 4 stone hod of house bricks, to raise money for @mindomountains.

However fast you go, there's something strangely addictive about this collection of fells. It's been a fun project to explore the Lakes and maybe one day I'll start again to see how fast I can get around... 

📸@danobeaumont

#GreatCockup #Wainwrights #LakeDistrict #Hillwalking  #GetOutside #Lakes #peakbagging #wainwrightswalks
A big welcome to the first CEO of @mindomountains, A big welcome to the first CEO of @mindomountains, Ian Sansbury! 

When Chris and I founded the charity in 2020 we never imagined how big it would become. From the flagship event with @adventureuncovered to delivering 27 events last year, supporting 300+ people with their mental health, including the NHS, Police and Ambulance Service.

Leadership is about creating a vision, and building a great team to achieve it - like our wonderful trustees, team and 50+ freelance staff who continually go above and beyond. 

It’s also knowing your strengths and weaknesses, when ironically it's compromised my own mental health sometimes too. As the charity grows I'm not the right person to take it where it needs to be, so it can reach everyone who needs our help.

Feeling like a proud parent sending their kids off to start school, with less crying, but I'm super excited to see the charity grow and support even more people with Ian’s expertise. 

I’ll remain heavily involved as a trustee (and Chief Interference Officer) to support the team, tell the story and raise money through daft adventures… 

Thanks to everyone who's been part of the first chapter. Onwards!

#NewChapter #MyBaby  #MentalHealthCharity #MindOverMountains
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