30 New Year New You • Charity Challenges Get fit, do good


What’s your cause? The 2018 charity fitness calendar has myriad challenges, from the familiar to the weird and the wonderful. Words: Lorraine Griffiths


If you want to help make


a difference


in the world, while firming up your abs, some of this year’s sporty fundraisers are a total giggle, while others are downright scary. All will take you beyond your comfort zone to a euphoric sense of achievement.


Classic glory The big annual charity fitness events are the Virgin Money London Marathon (22 April), London to Paris Cycle Tour de France (25-29 July)


and legendary


Three Peaks Challenge (27-28 October). Then there’s the AJ Bell London Triathlon (4-5 August). Meanwhile, the 125-mile Devizes to Westminster International Canoe Race (30 March-2 April) has been held since 1948. But those are just for starters.


For tough guys and gals Mud, climbing walls, sheep dips, zip wires, slides… The 6km or 12km Royal Marines Charity Commando Series race (November) recreates a military training course at historic UK venues. For alternative thigh-burners, a climb up the


798 stairs of Manchester’s Christie Tower Run (25 February) up the Beetham Tower or London’s Tower 42 Vertical Rush (15 March) with its 932 steps, guarantees heady tears of joy. But for a real rush, Ultra White Collar Boxing


(year-round) transforms ordinary guys and gals into prizefighters in just eight weeks, before they go toe-to-toe at a charity black-tie boxing event.


For a laugh Last year, 1,000 gorilla-suited runners took to central London to help save the endan- gered primates. The Great Gorilla Run (September) has raised £2m so far. Zombie runs are multiplying all over


Go global Whether it’s on two wheels, two feet or four, sponsored quests are world- wide. For the more urbane adventurer, the National Literary Trust Arctic Team Challenge


(December)


sees teams competing in dog sled, Nordic ski and ice fishing races, plus a dazzling literary quiz,


the country. Runners face a 5km obstacle race while dodging zombie hordes. Search ukrunningevents.co.uk for your nearest event. Or how about The Color Run? Inspired by


India’s Holi Festival, runners are doused in coloured powder along the 5k route.


the Arctic Circle. Or, how about a safari


with a difference? The nine-day Cycle Africa Open Challenge (13-21 October) cuts through the spectacular Great Rift Valley in Tanzania.


In sharp contrast, Tribe Run For Love is a gruelling 2,000km duathlon that anyone can join at any time, from Sarajevo to London, with the worthy aim of raising £1m to combat human trafficking.


Get ready for charity


• Choose an event that will challenge you — and impress contributors


• Try a specialist operator, such as Global Adventure Challenges or Charity Challenge, to find trips around the world


• Being passionate about your charity will keep you focused


• Start your training early to avoid injury. Get started with a fitness app such as Couch to 5k


• Justgiving.org is an easy way to collect click-donations


• Time-shy? ‘Donate’ your daily walks and runs via the Charity Miles tracker app


in


New Year New You recommends...


Keeping hearts beating British Heart Foundation Try something new in 2018 and take on the challenge of a lifetime for the British Heart Foundation. Every day, 190 people will die from a heart attack, but with your help this statistic can change. So why not take on a trek at Peru’s Machu Picchu or the Great Wall of China, and do something fantastic this year in aid of the British Heart Foundation. Turn to page 8 to get £100 off your registration fee inside. bhf.org.uk


Take great strides for team CF Cystic Fibrosis Trust Searching for another resolution to add to your list this new year? Join the Cystic Fibrosis Trust and resolve to make a difference like former Made in Chelsea star James Dunmore, and personal trainer and public speaker Sophie Grace Holmes, who has cystic fibrosis (CF). Why not take part in Great Strides 65, and join friends and family on one of our epic 65-kilometre (40-mile) treks? Your support could help to create a better life for the 10,400 people across the UK affected by this cruel condition. cysticfibrosis.org.uk/resolutions


Join in the fight against breast cancer Breast Cancer Now Right now, breast cancer is at a tipping point. More women are surviving, but more are being diagnosed than ever before. One in eight women in the UK will face breast cancer in her lifetime. Every 45 minutes, another woman dies from the disease, but Breast Cancer Now is going to change that. Breast Cancer Now is the UK’s largest breast cancer research charity — dedicated to funding research into this devastating disease. breastcancernow.org


Working towards a fun fitness goal Nightrider Every fitness plan needs a goal — something to work towards. Training for an event is great motivation as the end goal is clear and exciting. Make Nightrider your goal: cycling 50km or 100km. With six months to go, anyone who is prepared to train can do this event. Personal trainer, Laura Spurr says: “Having a clear goal will keep you motivated. Nightrider is a great event with amazing routes, and everyone should do it. Fitness and fun — a perfect combination.” nightrider.org.uk


Saturday 6th January 2018


Walk from Eye to Eye


On Sunday 4 March 2018 join hundreds of walkers – human and canine – walking from Moorfields Eye Hospital, London to the London Eye, and help fundraise to build a world beyond sight loss


Every penny you raise will help fund pioneering research at Moorfields Eye Hospital to help create a future where sight loss is a thing of the past. We aim to raise over £150,000 towards


areas of eye research such as glau- coma, the


leading cause of irreversible


blindness worldwide, and age-related macular degeneration, the main cause of blindness in adults aged over 60 in the western world. In the four years since Eye to Eye began, donations raised have helped support vital research projects including studies exploring the genetics of keratoconus and the impact of diabetic retinopathy on the structure and function of the eye. "We had a fantastic time and more impor-


tantly were able to raise a large amount of money to put towards research at Moorfields." Bhavna Tailor - 2016 and 2017 Eye to Eye participant.


O


ur sight is a critically important sense. Sadly, sight loss is an increasing reality for many people. This is why Moorfields


Eye Charity is motivated by the core belief that people’s sight matters. Our mission is to support Moorfields Eye Hospital to discover, develop and deliver the best eye care. We need you to help us do this. We’d love you to join us for our fourth Eye


to Eye charity walk to help raise funds for Moorfields Eye Charity. Choose between walking four or 14 miles,


and make it even more fun by forming a team and walking with your family and friends.


AI: the future of running


Last year saw some big advances in artificial intelligence (AI)


Go, to politicians agonising over the future of the digital economy, the future is at the feet of machine learning. For the majority of us — whether we’re aware of it or not — AI will become an increasing determinant in our daily lives through 2018 and beyond; and that includes the simple act of being active. Alex Zurita, technology strategy specialist at


F


London Sport, sees AI as one of the dominant emerging trends in increasing people’s levels of physical activity. He said, “There’s absolutely no doubt in my mind — tech that adapts and evolves around the needs of the individual is the next big frontier for sport technology. With the advances we’re seeing in AI across all industry sectors, it won’t be long before the tailored experience becomes consumers’ minimum expectation.” One start-up that’s been exploring the oppor-


tunities around AI believes those experiences are already available. Dr Sean Radford is founder and CEO of TrainAsONE — a running app that functions as an artificially intelligent running coach, designed to help runners maximise performance while mitigating the risks of injury and overtraining. “We’re now at the point where we can use AI to


Registration fee: four mile route £12 per person* / 14 mile route £18 per person*


Sponsorship: suggested £100 per person* To register online: moorfieldseyecharity.org.uk/eye2eye. For further information, contact Gabrielle Richardson T: 020 7521 4614 E: gabrielle.richardson@moorfields.nhs.uk


*Please note: under 16s are free as long as they are accompanied by a registered adult and don't need to raise sponsorship — although they are welcome to if they wish to!


provide everyone with their own personal running coach, which continually monitors performance and provides individually tailored plans based on abilities and goals,” says Radford, also a medical doctor and keen competitive runner.


Get your own AI running coach at trainasone.com and use voucher code ‘NYNY18’ to get 10% off a paid subscription for six months


rom DeepMind’s self-taught AlphaGo Zero making headlines in October for its mastery of the ancient Chinese game of


“Not only does TrainAsONE model each runner’s physiological


characteristics and


schedule the most beneficial workouts for the individual, it continuously adapts to their progress and available time — every time you run, or miss a run, TrainAsONE adjusts your plan, ensuring you’re always on track.” It’s not just those that are looking to start


out being active that stand to benefit from this technology. An estimated 70-90% of running-related injuries are


to the user’s attributed to


training error (put simply, doing too much too soon), irrespective of the runner’s history. AI’s ability to adapt and cater


needs represents a new tool in the armoury of those looking to achieve a personal best — or simply wanting to avoid succumbing to


injury. With marathon season fast


approaching, AI-powered running’s time may be close at hand.


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