A man from Chester will take on one of the most difficult obstacle courses on the planet this November when he flies to Las Vegas to compete in the World’s Toughest Mudder event.
Thirty-year-old Jon Park, from Upton, who works at Essar’s Stanlow Oil Refinery in Ellesmere Port, will push himself to the limit and face 35ft jumps, 10ft walls, electric shocks and freezing temperatures as part of the 24-hour challenge.
Jon, who grew up in Ellesmere Port and attended Whitby High School, hopes to raise as much as £10,000 for Claire House Hospice in the process and has been training for several months in preparation for the gruelling course that awaits him.
Jon said: “I’m really looking forward to the challenge but I’m under no illusions – I know it’s going to be a real test of mental and physical strength.
“The course itself is only five miles long but there are 25 different obstacles on the route and the whole point of the challenge is to complete as many laps as possible within the 24 hours.
“I’m training every day because I really want to give it my best shot and hopefully raise as much money as possible for Claire House Hospice. It’s a charity I’ve always supported since school and anything I can do to help them will be a massive bonus.”
Capenhurst-based lifestyle and leisure company MyTravelPal stepped in earlier this year to provide sponsorship for Jon’s challenge and are supporting him with travel costs and a range of training equipment.
Other local companies backing Jon include Chester-based TRX specialists – S3 Fitness, running and triathlon retailer Tri-Active, outdoor fitness company Combat Solider and triathlon coach, Sally Napthen.
“I’ve been really lucky with the generosity of local businesses,” added Jon. “The support has been brilliant and that’s driving me on to train even harder.
“I’m already taking on multiple laps of regional Tough Mudder events, I’ve got a Cotswold 24-hour run coming up next month and I’m hoping to do the MBNA Chester Marathon in October. The World’s Toughest Mudder challenge is just a few months away now so my training is going up another gear to make sure I’m ready for everything it throws at me!”
Two fundraising nights have been planned to help Jon achieve his fundraising target. Both events take place at The Oaks Mollington, the first on July 3 with guest speakers Stan Boardman and footballing legends Alan Kennedy, and Howard Kendall. The second is on September 11 involving a three-course meal, drinks and evening entertainment.
For more information about either event email jon_park_08@hotmail.co.uk or if you would like to sponsor Jon, visit his Virgin Money page here.
