When I see an email from the Charity team, I always read it with trepidation… what crazy idea have they come up with this time! But I was excited to see how Telent was planning to honour our Company pledge to provide financial support to our chosen corporate charity, Alzheimer’s Society, in the ‘new-normal’.
Initially I was left feeling daunted by the prospect of running / cycling / walking along the official – long, hilly, “punchy”, “epic” routes devised by our more athletic team members that spell out Telent 4 Alzheimers and definitely didn’t see any designated as “easy” – but I guess that’s all part of the fun! However, the event is open to everyone, of all abilities, and of all levels of fitness.
Team Green decided to kick off our contribution to Telent’s major fundraiser for 2020. Putting the official route to one side, we attempted an alternative parallel route that runs between the official start and finish of the route along the bottom of the First T – but breaking it down into a series of legs that take in local, family-friendly, traffic free trails.
So, after starting at 8am on a Saturday morning, having roped in some local running friends, I completed a socially distanced 21km run (some might call it a jog!) along the Templer Way from Teigngrace to Bovey Tracey, enjoying stunning views up onto the local Dartmoor tors. On Sunday, I returned to Bovey, with husband and nine-year-old daughter in tow, for a 23km out-and-back bike ride along the Wray Valley Trail, an old disused railway line that runs through the Dartmoor National Park.
Then over the bank holiday weekend I completed another 30km run, a 12km family hike – all over Dartmoor – and a 30km family bike ride, taking team Green’s total mileage for the first two weeks of this challenge to 116km! After all that the legs needed a rest, but we look forward to getting back out next weekend.
Every mile the team cycles, runs or walks between now and the end of September – whether that be on one of the official routes or on a virtual route of choice – counts towards the overall target to complete 2,225km. I’ve spoken to people from across Telent who have already completed long-legs of the routes and raised all important funds for Alzheimer’s Society.
I can’t wait to see pictures and hear stories from other people who are participating in this challenge all over the UK! To donate please visit Telent’s JustGiving page
Good luck!
Heather Green