On June 17th 2007 my life will change! I have decided to really test myself this time and entered one of the worlds most stupid races. In fact more people have climbed Everest than ran across 250km's of the Gobi Desert. Don't ask me again why I am doing this, but lets just say its about testing ones inner strength to the maximum and achieving a feat very few can say they have ever done.
The Gobi March is a self-supported footrace across 150 miles (250 kilometers) of the Gobi Desert in China. The race consists of six stages, lasting 7 days, with distances ranging from 10 to 50 miles (20 - 80 kilometers) per stage. There will be checkpoints conveniently positioned along the course every 7 or 8 miles (10 - 12 kilometers). Competitors are required to be fully self-supported throughout the event and must carry all their own food, gear and clothing which they will need to complete the 150 mile (250 kilometer) course. Water and a place in a tent will be provided daily.
I am running this to help build a village in Rwanda for genocidal orphans.
The Gobi March will be held annually in honor of three great women -- Mildred Cable and Eva and Francesca French -- who crossed the Gobi Desert five times approximately one-hundred years ago. Mildred Cable once wrote: "Only a fool crosses the great Gobi without misgivings." A special trophy will be awarded in their honor.
The Gobi March will take place in the Gobi Desert of northwest China. At 500,000 square miles (1,300,000 square kilometers) the Gobi is nearly twice the size of Texas and sprawls across much of China and Mongolia. The Gobi (Mongolian word for "waterless place") certainly lives up to its name with less than three inches of rain falling each year. The Gobi is the world's largest cold winter desert, made up mostly of mountains, rocks, grasslands, salt flats and sand dunes. Archaeologists believe that there are many yet to be discovered cities laying hidden in the sands of the Gobi.
Terrain: Gobi March competitors can expect a wide variety of terrain including: slot canyons, salt flats, rivers, mountain ridges, rocky terrain and sand dunes. Although the Gobi contains less sand than the Sahara, competitors can expect, at times, 1000-foot high sand dunes. In addition, at times the Gobi can reach an altitude up to 14,000 feet in some places.
Weather: The weather in the Gobi can be extreme - very hot days that reach well over 100 degrees Fahrenheit and cold nights that drop below freezing. Competitors should also be prepared for violent sand storms and strong winds that are prone to hit during April, May and sometimes June.
It all sounds great fun basically!
In order to give me some extra incentive here I have decided to "run for Rwanda" and follow my company's philanthropic goals. If anyone would like to receive 5 pairs of socks too please email Katy Hansen at khansen@liquidnet.com. I shall be wearing the same colour as you when I race! By the way this picture to the left is from one of the kids, so no pressure now!!
For more info, blogs and photos please see my website: http://rowley.pledgepage.org/
Many thanks,
Rowley
Many thanks also to my offline donors:
| Richard D. Minor |
|
$20.00 |
| Herbert Cooper |
|
$30.00 |
| Herbert Cooper |
|
$50.00 |
| Noel A. Rees |
|
$50.00 |
| Charlie S. Nixon |
|
$75.00 |
| Arti P. Acharya |
|
$100.00 |
| Clare J. Sumpster |
|
$100.00 |
| Tracy A. Windham |
|
$150.00 |
| Alexandra K. Charlton |
|
$25.00 |
| Tim J. Cohn |
|
$50.00 |
| Seth A. Kirkham |
|
$300.00 |
| Michael P. Morris |
|
$50.00 |
| Chris S. Charlton |
|
$100.00 |
| Stephen D. Moore |
|
$200.00 |
| Benjamin R. Williams |
|
$100.00 |
| Carol Aird |
|
$100.00 |
| Knopp, Cheryl J. |
|
$40.00 |
| Brendan, Frey P. |
|
$50.00 |
| Roberts, Natasha J. |
|
$40.00 |
