A lot of water fell during The MIPIM UK Challenge – from the sky and from my eyes. What ended up being more than 1,200 miles of running and cycling through some stunning scenery and less than stunning weather was all made worth it when at a special lunch at MIPIM UK last week, attended by HRH the Earl of Wessex, fundraising totals topped £75,000.
The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award chief executive Peter Westgarth said: “We feel incredibly lucky to be the charity partner of the inaugural MIPIM UK. As a charity that promotes challenge setting, healthy living, commitment and resilience, Sam’s own challenge could not be more fitting with our cause.
“We cannot thank Sam’s sponsors enough for the tremendous gift to our charity that will enable us to support thousands of young people to achieve their Duke of Edinburgh’s Award, gain confidence, and aspire to a brighter future.”
He added: “We hope to reach over 1m young people from now until our 60th anniversary in 2016. Sam’s contribution will go a long way in ensuring we reach young people in the most deprived communities in the UK; helping all young people achieve on a par with their peers no matter what their background or circumstance.”
The MIPIM UK Challenge, organised by Cycle To, was generously supported by Helix Property Advisors, CBRE, Citygrove, Cushman & Wakefield, Liverpool One, Savills, GVA, Premier Inn, Westfield and Brookfield Multiplex.
The 15-day epic zig-zagged across the UK, through some of the country’s most beautiful landscapes between leading regional cities, before finishing at MIPIM UK with a marathon through London.
To relive The Challenge visit www.samanthamcclary.wordpress.com for a day-by-day account and video diaries
How to train for a 1,200-mile duathlon
Feats of endurance in the property industry are relatively widespread. Agents and principals run across the Sahara, climb Everest and cycle to Cannes every year, raising thousands of pounds for charity. But how do they do it?
Training for The Challenge was a carefully thought out four-month programme of progressively increasing distances on foot and on the bike. But more important than putting in the running and riding miles was creating a body that was robust enough to continue to perform day after day.
Here, personal trainer Felicity Cole shares her expert knowledge on how she got EG deputy editor Sam McClary Challenge-ready.
“My main goal was to get Sam to the start line injury-free. Any imbalance or weakness that exists within the body is significantly amplified during the repetitive motion of endurance training, which is why strength and conditioning is an essential part of training. As well as enhancing performance, it improves movement efficiency, corrects imbalances, improves recovery time, increases strength and reduces the risk of injury.
“The first step was to assess Sam’s posture, mobility and movement. Sam’s main area of focus was strengthening the entire posterior chain and improving mobility in her hips, thoracic spine and ankles, which were locked up – common for someone who has a desk job and spends a lot of time on a bike. If part of the body is limited in its movement, another part will take up the slack increasing the risk for injury, which is why mobility is key.
“We split Sam’s training into three phases;
1. base/foundation
2. build
3. peak and taper.
“Two 45 to 60-minute sessions a week were scheduled; one with me and one programmed session for her to complete on her own. Sam was also given a five to 10-minute pre bike/run mobility sequence to do to keep her moving and performing at her optimum.
“The goal of the foundation phase was to improve Sam’s posture and create overall structural balance. We spent a
lot of time on mobility drills, switching off her dominant quads and activating the glutes.
“The build phase was focused on strength. We needed her running to be efficient and effortless, relaxed power on the bike and the ability to maintain posture and form under extreme tiredness. This phase was split into three four-week blocks, each with a specific focus and a priority towards multi-joint exercises – a lot of deadlift variations, lunge patterns, single-leg exercises and core work.
“Finally, in the two-week taper phase, the volume was decreased and the focus switched to maintaining gains, resting and mental preparation.”
How the industry’s generosity will help DofE
£24 helps one young person take part in the scheme
£102 funds a trained DofE volunteer to support a group of young people on their first qualifying DofE expedition
£255 funds free places on the DofE for five disadvantaged young people – DofE is aiming to provide 10,000 free places this year
£1,020 provides 20 free places for disadvantaged young people
£5,100 funds the training of four new DofE leaders
For every £50,000 raised the young people that take part in a DofE award will give back a collective £300,000 to society through their volunteer work
£75,000 enables the charity to open more than 30 DofE centres in areas of deprivation
To donate visit www.virginmoneygiving.com/1100miles1nutter
