Dave Olczak and friend Andy Farmer decided to create and take part in a gruelling charity run to raise money for the Aspen Stroke Unit and Prestbury Centre at Cheltenham Hospital after they were so good in helping our old school friend Chris Banting to recover from the 2 serious strokes that he had 5 months ago at the age of 29.
“We wanted to do something to make a difference and to raise awareness about the fact that it can happen to anyone at any age.
We started at 7am in Malvern and ran up to the highest peak of the Malverns. We then ran back down, through Malvern, Upton, Bourton, Defford and Eckington before running up and over Bredon Hill. We then went past the Army camp, over Aston Cross, through Severn Bends, towards Bishops Cleeve going through Woodmancote and Ending at the Peak of Cleeve Hill in 6 hours and 56 minutes.
The first 2.5 hours were quite enjoyable, but then by the time we started our final approach to Bredon Hill, we were really starting to feel it.
The worst section was battling through the Midday heat as we went through Severn Bends and along the busy main road towards Bishops Cleeve.
By the time we reached the real incline of Cleeve Hill we were physically unable to run any further and were struggling to walk it.
After we reached the peak and made our descent back down to the car park, we were overwhelmed with the number of friends and family who had come out to support us (as well as the support we had along the way). Chris was even there to meet us in a wheelchair (after just days before having an operation on his heart to fix the condition that had caused the strokes in the first place).”
You can still donate for this very worthy cause here – please give what you can.
a) Contact Dave or Andy on Facebook or call Dave on 07966 421 493 or email discoolczak@hotmail.co.uk
OR
b) Send donations to:- Bringing Home The Three Peaks
21 Mitton Way
Mitton
Tewkesbury
Glos
GL20 8AW
