These days it’s very common to wake up one morning and tell your family and friends ‘I need a challenge! I will sign up to a 5 km race or a 10 km race. Very few of us feel brave enough to sign up to a half marathon and if that is a daunting experience, there are even fewer crazy people who want that BIG challenge and sign up to a full marathon (26.2 miles or 42.2 km).

Piyush Gudka who was born in Mombasa, now living in Stanmore, Middlesex, has run several marathons… in fact, he has run 34 marathons and he still doesn’t show any signs of slowing down. Like vintage wine Piyush gets better with age and that also includes bigger challenges; How about the next BIGGEST challenge …

The Comrades Marathon in South Africa!!!
56 brutal miles, 5 torturous climbs and a ruthless clock. For most people this could really be the greatest challenge; the premier ultra road race in the world!

Animal lovers can name Africa’s “Big Five” in a flash but the Comrades ultra-marathon runners have its Big Five hills–Cowies, Fields, Bothas, Inchanga, and Polly Shortts etched in their memory forever. These names can bring tears to anyone who has attempted this race as the painful memories of these hills bring an instantaneous flashback.

The runners have 12 hours to complete the course and there are a number of cut-off points along the route, which runners must reach by a prescribed time or be forced to retire from the race. This is no ordinary challenge! It comes with a strong health warning just as one would see at the back of a bottle of homemade Jamaican hot sauce with habanero peppers.

Piyush is under-taking this ultimate challenge to help raise money and awareness for 2 charities:

1. Fit 4 Nothing, a charity that help individuals improve their mind and body through exercise (www.fit4nothing.org), and
2. One Cause, a charity that help under-privileged communities in the third world through the provision of Education (www.onecauseuk.org).

Piyush’s willingness to take on this mammoth challenge hopes to raise awareness of the importance of exercise in today’s busy lifestyle and promote One Cause’s slogan of Education is the answer to Poverty!

This guy is crazy! The only thing you can do is support his craziness and help him raise money for his 2 chosen charities at:
http://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/Piyush