Thursday 25 April 2013

Can you carry a fridge on your back while running a marathon?

photo by Appliances Online
 I recently read about a challenge one guy has taken upon himself to raise money for charity. He has lost loved ones to cancer, so the charity of his choice is The Sir Bobby Robson Foundation. First off, I find even the idea of carrying a fridge on my back for a FEW STEPS a painful idea. I doubt I could make it without harming something in my back. I work hard at my fitness. I run, I hike, I use the elliptical crosstrainer, I do exercise videos, I use the Wii Fit and the Kinect, I train with weights and I do all of these things regularly. Not a day goes by that I don't fit exercise into my daily life. BUT, I do not think I could even take two steps with a fridge strapped onto my back. This is Tony's second year doing this. And the great news is that Tony the Fridge broke the world record on the 24 hours challenge! It is amazing what one person can achieve when he believes strongly enough in what he is doing.

photo by Appliances Online

Here's the some of the press release from Appliances Online, a company that is helping to sponsor him. This press release came out before he had done the run and these are only parts of it.

A VERY COOL CHALLENGE - 24 HOURS AND 100 MILES CARRYING A FRIDGE...

One of the Sir Bobby Robson Foundation’s most dedicated and unusual fund-raisers is taking on an incredible new challenge this week.

Tony ‘the Fridge’ Phoenix-Morrison, from Hebburn, raised over £13,000 for the charity last year by running 30 consecutive, daily half marathons carrying a fridge on his back.

Now Tony is back, with an even larger fridge, and this Friday (19 April) he will be attempting to run for 24 hours, covering an astonishing 100 miles - the equivalent of almost four marathons - around Newcastle’s Quayside after a challenge was issued by online retail giant, Appliances Online...

...Tony says: “The 30 half marathons felt like a long relentless slog.  Every day getting up and out again was really hard but this is a whole different sort of pressure.

“To even carry the fridge for 24 hours isn’t easy but to do that and keep running, well, it’s going to a be a struggle.  My new Smeg fridge looks great but at 42kg it’s even heavier than the last one.

“This challenge is best described as the impossible journey.  Both mentally and physically, the reality is that I am a Granddad one week away from my 49th birthday and, to be honest, I have no idea whether I can l keep going for 24 hours let alone reach 100 miles...

...“I’m passionate about raising money for the Sir Bobby Robson Foundation.  I’ve seen the work the charity funds and met some remarkable people who are benefitting from it.

“I’m proud to be playing a part and just hope I can complete this challenge and keep helping the charity.  Thinking about that, and the loved ones I’ve lost to cancer, will be my motivation when it gets really tough on Saturday afternoon.”

Tony will be setting off at 6pm on Friday and, all being well, will complete 100 one mile laps of Newcastle’s Quayside finishing at 6pm on Saturday.  The start and finish point is the Pitcher and Piano bar, which, along with Malmaison Hotel, is providing support.

Tony was challenged by Appliances Online, the UK's largest online kitchen appliance retailer, to undertake the marathon effort. The retail giant is donating £15,000 to the Sir Bobby Robson Foundation...
...To sponsor Tony for The Appliances Online 24 Hour Challenge please visit www.justgiving.com/tonythefridge.  Or you can text a donation via JustTextGiving by texting FRID93 and the amount in pounds to 70070.

The Sir Bobby Robson Foundation:

The Sir Bobby Robson Foundation aim to find better ways to detect and treat cancer - and to do so while directly helping patients currently fighting the disease.  It also helps fund projects which improve cancer patient care.

photo by Appliances Online

Is there something that you believe strongly enough in that you could do something like this? You might be surprised by how far believing in something, and in yourself, can take you!