Chester man Jon Park has taken to the Las Vegas deserts to compete in one of the most difficult obstacle races known to man for charity.
The World’s Toughest Mudder consists of 10ft walls, 35ft jumps, electric shocks and freezing temperatures over a five-mile course of desert gullies, steep cliffs and rolling hills.
Jon completed 60 miles, or 12 laps, in his aim to raise cash for Claire House Hospice.
After a few hours of well-deserved sleep, Jon posted a personal message to his Facebook page: “The event, firstly that is the single most hardest task I have ever done, it pushed me to my mental and physical ability and broke me.
“There were high and low temps, challenging never seen before obstacles, running in all but two laps in a wet suit, the sand/dust made it hard to breathe, 839ft elevation gain per lap and all this over 24 hours.
“I got 12 laps in and although 75 miles would have been nice, when I crossed the line, I passed out with fatigue.”
Jon was treated immediately in a nearby medical tent. Jon thanked his pit crew Chris Devine and Adam Oakes, sponsors Out There, a Cheshire based lifestyle and hospitality company, the TriAactive sports shop in Chester and triathlon coach Sally Napthen.
So far Jon has raised just over £6,000 for Claire House Hospice, only £4,000 off his target amount of £10,000.
Director of Out There Nicola Palmer said: “Jon’s commitment to raising funds for Claire House Children’s Hospice inspired us beyond words. When we heard Jon had planned on taking part in World’s Toughest Mudder 2015, we felt compelled to do our bit.
“We fully sponsored Jon to take part in the event, covering the cost of his flights, entry fee, hotel and kit. To kick-start Jon’s fundraising effort, Out There also held two charity nights and raised an incredible £3,000.
“From everyone at the Out There Family, we’d like to say a huge “Well done to the ‘JonaTRON’!”
Jon said: “The support back home has been massive; I can’t even begin to explain how much it helped me when times were tough. You guys are brilliant and the donations have been overwhelming.”
There is still a chance to sponsor Jon and help him hit his £10K target at www.virginmoney.com
