A record-breaking adventurer and mental health activist is returning with another fundraising run challenge to support mental health after the COVID-19 lockdown.
This August, 25 year-old Alex Staniforth will be setting off to attempt to run the National Three Peaks Challenge in under nine days. This will involve climbing the UK’s three highest mountains – Ben Nevis, Scafell Pike, Snowdon – and covering the entire distance between them, over 440 miles, or approximately 17 marathons in total.
If successful, his run will break the current record of 9 days and 11 hours.
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The National Three Peaks Challenge is traditionally completed within 24 hours using vehicle transport in between the mountains.
Alex will be running an average of 48 miles (or nearly two marathons per day) with over 44,000ft in total height gain (or 1.5 times of Everest).
In 2017, the Kendal-based runner became the fastest person ever to climb the UK’s highest county peaks to raise awareness of depression and eating disorders and for which he won the Pride of Britain Granada Reports Fundraiser of the Year.
Alex, who has himself suffered with depression, anxiety and the eating disorder bulimia for over eight years, said: “It took me longer to get an NHS appointment and access proper support for my eating disorder than it did to cycle and run 5,000 miles around the country in 2017 for my Climb the UK challenge. This only highlights the huge gap in services available for those suffering with eating disorders, which is estimated to be at least 1.6 million people.”
Alex is aiming to raise £10,000 through his Mind Over Mountains charity to support people who have suffered serious mental health setbacks from the lockdown.
You can donate to Alex’s cause at givey.com/3peaksrun or visit alexstaniforth.com to find out more and view his live map to track his progress.
