Transcript
UKRunChat: Welcome to the UK Run Chat podcast. I'm Michelle and today I'm chatting to Chris who is preparing to take on a challenge that really puts the idea of going the extra mile into perspective. Chris is planning to cover a thousand miles in just 17 days running from Land's End to John O 'Groats before making his way back home to Newcastle all on foot. That's an enormous amount of running in a very short space of time and he's doing it all to raise money for cash for Kids North East which helps local children and a family who might otherwise struggle at Christmas.
UKRunChat: ah Chris, welcome to your Care and Chat. Thank you so much for coming on. So just tell us a little bit about yourself first and your running background before we get into your huge challenge.
Chris Gatrell: Thank you, Michelle. ah Firstly, thank you very much for inviting me on um on the podcast. Look, yeah. I am a dad of two, two young children of five and seven and I do live in Newcastle -upon -Tyne, married a fellow Geordie so I'm based up in Newcastle now but yes my running background um i have done a few marathons and ultra marathons in the past probably not for a good
Chris Gatrell: eight or so years like i say since i had children i probably stopped running as much but before that did uh london marathon a few times and as i've uh done a few 24 hour running events running around uh fields doing 10k loops so i do enjoy running but then stopped for a little bit to look after the children who are slightly uh older now so i've had the chance to get my running career back on track with ah with a small challenge and ah in a few weeks time.
UKRunChat: Yeah, so so you've done some ultras before. So at what point did you think I'm i'm going to take on kind of this this huge challenge then? Because it's a biggie. You'll be averaging over about 60 miles a day, won't you?
Chris Gatrell: It is, yeah, about 60 miles a day. It was actually on the 2nd of January this year. I'd been thinking about it over Christmas. We'd had ah at a really good Christmas. um But on the 2nd of January, I just decided that I wanted to get back into running and do something pretty crazy whilst trying to raise ah a bit of money towards charity. So I sat down with my partner and we had a bit of a chat about the charity and a bit of chat around what I actually wanted to do. and um
Chris Gatrell: Decided to put a post on social media that I was going to try and run 1 ,000 miles in 17 days. um I actually set out to do about 850 miles in 17 days. And then my wife, it was my wife's suggestion, who said, why don't you round it up to 1 ,000 miles?
Chris Gatrell: Hence, it was Land's End to John O 'Groats. And then she suggested running back to Newcastle upon Tyne to round it up to a nice round number.
UKRunChat: Oh, okay. yet It's a nice idea though, running home as well, isn't it? I guess that'll keep you going in the latter stages.
Chris Gatrell: It is, absolutely. um And but from a from a personal perspective, I was thinking if I do run to the top of Scotland, um there probably won't be many people at the finish line. It might be a bit of an anticlimax if I finish there and there's only a handful of people.
UKRunChat: no
Chris Gatrell: And I thought if I can run back to Newcastle and get a big crowd there, host a bit of ah an event at the end, it'll generate a bit more interest towards the charity as well and ah a good atmosphere at the end is the plan.
UKRunChat: Yeah, so so how how are you feeling about it now? It's kind of it's it's getting very close now. we're At the point of recording, we're three weeks away, aren't we, from you from you starting? so
Chris Gatrell: We are indeed. I'm on the countdown, 24 days. It's come round so fast. um i Like I say, I remember planning it back in January, thinking I've got 11 months and plenty of time to run and plan the event and the route. But now, with it being 24 days out, I think I've got every emotion running through me at the minute. and I'm nervous. I'm excited. I'm very excited to to get going and just start running. but um
Chris Gatrell: yeah there's so many so many things that can potentially uh happen on the daily basis could be the weather could be the route it could be anything that could go wrong so yeah and look I'm naturally emotional thinking about it, thinking about finishing without trying to get too far ahead of myself. so yeah There's quite a lot of emotions that I'm just trying to keep down a a peg or two for the time being.
UKRunChat: Yeah. So have you done your longest run now? Are you kind of in in taper time now?
Chris Gatrell: Yeah, absolutely. There's ah there's one big -ish week of miles left. We built up to doing 90 miles a week running, and I'm walking on average about 35 ,000, 36 ,000 steps a day. um So there is literally six or seven days left of just the cumulative miles, um but no no big...
Chris Gatrell: big long one run that um that i've got left to do just uh roughly between 10 or 15 miles a day to to keep going for the next six days and then it will be ah a taper down to around 50 60 miles a week and then we'll drop the walk into about 20 000 steps a day to try to get rid of some of that fatigue
UKRunChat: Yeah, so you you you said we there. Have you got a team kind of helping you with all this, Chris?
Chris Gatrell: Yeah, absolutely. um My wife helping me just look after the two kids when I'm out every every minute of the day. But yeah, I've got a strength and conditioning coach, Jack Jones coaching, um based up here and in in Great Park in Newcastle. He's been helping me on a weekly basis with strength and conditioning, um keeping the niggles at bay, keeping me fighting fit. And then I've been seeing a physio, Fat Marat, Newcastle physiotherapist, probably on average. once every two or three weeks um we've had a a good few injury scares problems along the way that she's been doing a a great job at legacy i'm not sure how i've managed to stay relatively fit throughout all of it. No no major injuries, touch wood at the minute. So yeah, that those two have of have really helped me. you know.
Chris Gatrell: mentally and physically. for for throughout the whole period
UKRunChat: Yeah, no, it's good it's good that you're you're kind of on point with the strength and conditioning because your body's going to need that, isn't it, to get you through. through this challenge? What sort of thing have you been doing with your strength and conditioning coach then?
Chris Gatrell: Absolutely. um yeah and any Anything leg related, unilateral work, lots of plyometrics, which I hadn't really focused on before and just seen a ah real improvement in my my general running, cadence, speed, recovery.
Chris Gatrell: um yeah we've we've had a real good solid plan that's kind of we've changed up a couple of couple of blocks got a lot stronger, naturally lots of squats and RDLs thrown into there for good measure and and things that that that us runners don't really like to do and maybe neglect a little bit. um So yeah, lots lots of the the strength angle, but I guess also just little hints and tips with him training lots of other different sports people, sprinters and and fighters and all doing similar types of activities to kind of say as strong and as conditioned as possible have definitely helped me to this point in my running.
UKRunChat: Yeah. Yeah. So I'm interested in kind of the the the transition from kind of making that. decision at at the beginning of January that you were going to do it? Like, where were you in your running? then
Chris Gatrell: I wasn't running at all. I was still recovering from a torn hamstring. ah So I was still um still not quite fully fit.
UKRunChat: Ooh.
Chris Gatrell: I tore my hamstring playing rounders with my wife in a rounders league back end of last year and didn't give it the necessary recovery or healing time. so The main focus to begin with in January, February time was working with the physio, with the strength and conditioning coach to to put that right, basically. um
Chris Gatrell: Again, it it felt like a a long period of recovery, which was difficult to difficult to deal with to begin with when you're thinking, I need to start running, I need to build the miles up, whereas actually I needed to get fit. And that that probably helped me to begin with, because I think had I have been fit, I probably would have tried to push it too much too soon and thinking, I've got to run a thousand miles. I need to to be doing 80, 90 mile weeks. It took us a good few months to get up to 20 miles a week, 30 miles a week with no pain, injury free. So that build up, looking back. definitely helped me I think.
UKRunChat: Yeah, and that that's a good way to look at it, actually, because often we do the running first and then think about strength later, don't we as runners?
Chris Gatrell: 100 % we do. I've been there before. I've done it before in that order.
UKRunChat: Yeah.
Chris Gatrell: So, yeah, almost being at the time, it was very difficult. But looking back, being injured. probably helped allow me to to to address some of those niggles to get me a little bit little bit fitter before we started up in the miles.
UKRunChat: Yeah, and everything feeling good now. You mentioned you've had a few a few kind of...
Chris Gatrell: Yeah.
UKRunChat: tweaks and scares along the way but everything good
Chris Gatrell: Yeah, we have. We've had a a few tweaks here or there. The hamstring is is definitely better. A couple of sore knees after some long runs and a bit of a sore left foot at the minute, which again just just feels like i'veve I've done a lot of miles. So again, I think it's more keeping on top of these little niggles. There's nothing that's stopping me running at the minute, which is definitely what I'm so happy about. I think the last physio session was me and Fatma were both very, very happy with with where we were at that point. So one or two more to go and yeah we'll be ready. ready to go.
UKRunChat: Yeah, though absolutely. So so what's what's your running training look like specifically then? Have you been putting lots of back -to -back runs in?
Chris Gatrell: Yeah, absolutely. So I typically run five or six times a week. um do i try not to do long runs at the weekend and psychologically i try not to leave them until the weekend so i do try to get out on a friday morning get up at 4am get out do anywhere between 18 and 22 23 miles on a friday and then back it up saturday morning and then often sunday morning as well i'm very much ah
Chris Gatrell: up early and out early type of guy having two young children i like to get up early often before they get up if i can and get a run done but yeah lots lots of back -to -back days varying paces varying recovery times um but yeah i've been putting some some big numbers um on those two three days connected and then i'd have a bit of a not necessarily a rest day but definitely a rest from running day potentially getting out for a bit of a long walk but that seems to have put me in in good good strength.
UKRunChat: Yeah, but that recovery is so important, though, isn't it? Like, we need that to... to help us keep running really, we need that time off as well.
Chris Gatrell: Absolutely. And again, you'll know yourself, but recovery and rest is is probably one of the things that us runners struggle to do.
UKRunChat: Yeah.
Chris Gatrell: And you're always thinking I need to run more. So, but yeah, I do typically try to take at least one day, whether it's a week or every 10 days where I don't do anything. Don't worry about the steps. Don't worry about running, no strength training and just try to maybe be outside with the kids.
Chris Gatrell: So I'm moving slightly, but not worrying on the watch and worrying on the time on my feet.
UKRunChat: Yeah, yeah. So have you done any kind of big events in the lead up to this or if you have you just been training most on your own?
Chris Gatrell: Yeah. Yeah, I've done one big event. There was a 24 -hour Heart and Soul Festival based up in Druidge Bay in Newcastle where there was i think it was a .2k loop. I had to run as many many laps as possible, um just over two and a half miles I think it was. So yeah, I managed 100 miles in just over 20 hours.
Chris Gatrell: um And then I decided it was probably wise to call it a day. I probably could have run a bit further maybe, but I was thinking. All the body was holding up very well.
Chris Gatrell: Legs were very sore, but I wasn't injured.
UKRunChat: Yeah.
Chris Gatrell: And I did think my pace was slowing dramatically as we got to those last four hours. and I was thinking for the for the return on investment for those four hours, I might have only done maybe 10 to 12 miles. um so look i was very happy i had a target of 100 miles in my mind and once i'd hit that i was thinking that that's enough for today um so yes that was a a really good event really really well put together and as i say that the shorter format allowed me to almost
Chris Gatrell: do it by myself, minimal support crew, had a little tent by to test some food and nutrition. But that went really well. So that was my one. real big event that I did which went really well.
UKRunChat: Yeah, but that's brilliant. Yeah, that's a great achievement and great that you you thought right I'm stopping now while I'm ahead.
Chris Gatrell: It is. I look back and I probably i still think well I could have gone a little bit further, but but risk versus reward then. It was only at the end of July, so I was thinking there's only three or so months to recover.
Chris Gatrell: And if I do tweak something a little bit more seriously, then the recovery time would have taken a lot. And I was just building up some big weeks. So, yeah, it was definitely the right decision at the time. but what was a trick
UKRunChat: Yeah, it's that balance, isn't it, between thinking that I want to do my best, but I'm also training for something else here. So you've I guess you've got time to go back and do that afterwards, haven't you?
Chris Gatrell: a
Chris Gatrell: Exactly, there's always next year for those. Good day.
UKRunChat: So... What? What have you kind of learned during this training block then about? about your own running and what's worked, what hasn't worked.
Chris Gatrell: Yeah, I didn't ever think I'd be able to put two or three days back to back together. It's not something that I'd ever really done. Even in previous training blocks, I'd always focused on one big run and then maybe days rest and then back out again. so
Chris Gatrell: i think just pacing that the pace and running at a pace that is very comfortable um naturally doing such long days 60 miles a day i don't really need to focus on a pace i just need to keep moving forward one step in front of the other so i've had that in the back of my mind when i've been going out for some of these runs whether it's 5 10 15 miles is
Chris Gatrell: it's not about the pace as long as i'm feeling comfortable conversational the legs are feeling fresh then that's a good thing instead of normally i'd maybe push it for a longer run and then i'd struggle to recover the next day so i i think having that in the back of my mind that there isn't really a pace target or ah you know a target in mind i've just got to keep moving throughout every day that's probably helped me um
UKRunChat: Yeah.
Chris Gatrell: It really has.
UKRunChat: Yeah, so how long are you envisaging being out for each day then to cover those miles?
Chris Gatrell: Yeah, I've stripped of my regime. I'm going to be up at 4am every morning and out the door of the hotel at 5 at the latest. and some days they're not exactly 60 miles a day some days it's up to 67 i think is the longest and the shortest is of just under 50.
Chris Gatrell: It could take 12 hours, could take 15, some days could take 18, but I am prepared to move forward one step in front of the other for as long as it takes. I think that one of the most challenging things will be...
Chris Gatrell: um is some of the days will be unsupported it will just be me my own thoughts and my watch my my garmin 965 with a very decent map on it that will hopefully take me from a to b and if i do get slightly lost then there may be a couple of extra miles thrown in there but yeah the the aim is to try to get as much of the day done.
Chris Gatrell: inside 12 hours think of the daylight i'll have a portion of the morning that will be dark and will be a bit tricky and if i can get as much of it done as possible by five or six pm at night and it'll mean i'm not running too much later into the evening and that will be my contingency if i need it though if it's uh if some days are a bit trickier than others
UKRunChat: Yeah.
UKRunChat: Yeah, so you're doing some of this kind of without a crew as well. Are you completely on your own?
Chris Gatrell: I am.
UKRunChat: Wow, Chris, that is a huge undertaking.
Chris Gatrell: I am. It is.
UKRunChat: Yeah.
Chris Gatrell: It is. Look, it's a big ask um for for anybody to support me for the full 17, 18 days.
UKRunChat: Yeah. Yeah.
Chris Gatrell: So I've got days when I'm unsupported, the first two or three days when I'm way down south. um And then my dad's coming out for a few days. My wife's going to come and meet me. There's a couple of days when I've got friends who are going to meet me for, you know, whether it be an hour or 10 hours, they're going to come and support me.
Chris Gatrell: And then there's a couple of days when we're in Scotland at the minute that I don't have support crew. So I am I am actively asking. If people would like to come out for a day, it' we'll call it an adventure, then yeah I'm open to any any support.
Chris Gatrell: Even if we've got cover and people want to come out for a run, then I'd be more than more than happy to take anybody's offer of support just to help me with directions, keep me sane, keep talking to me and keep me moving.
UKRunChat: I think just just a bit of company is good for us sometimes, isn't it? Even even if you're not chatting, it's nice just to have somebody next to you sometimes, I think.
Chris Gatrell: absolutely yeah somebody just to talk to and me talk back to instead of just ah my own thoughts
UKRunChat: yeah so so perhaps if we've got listeners down kind of in cornwall way and wanting to join in should they get in touch with you via your website is that the best way
Chris Gatrell: Absolutely. Yeah, that would be absolutely amazing. And as I say, i've I've said it to everybody, don't worry about... the pace or the time that you can come and meet me I will absolutely be happy for anybody to get involved and support me I'll walk for two or three hours with somebody if they if they want to come out and share a few hours with me it would be amazing to meet as many people as possible but selfishly the support and helping me with directions as map reading is not quite my strong point so I'm heavily reliant on tech forever for a lot of the a lot of the run.
UKRunChat: So have you planned out your route in advance then, Chris? Do you know where you're going to be? Have you booked all your hotels and things? and
Chris Gatrell: Absolutely. Yeah, all the route was was probably planned out three or four months ago. we've We've refined it as we've gone through. All the routes are locked into Strava, um all the segments, all all A to B.
Chris Gatrell: um lisa from cash for kids really helped me with booking all the hotels and booking the accommodation um so yeah from from day one right up to day 17 all the accommodation is locked in i know where i need to be on a to b um and all the routes are fully planned some days strava's telling me it's 95 footpath and five percent undetermined and we'll see what those undetermined a little bits of routes happen um so yeah that's why there might be a couple of extra miles thrown on each day if i need to navigate a few uh
UKRunChat: Ooh.
Chris Gatrell: a few tricky paths or roads.
UKRunChat: Yeah. So how are you managing things like kits and changes of clothes, particularly on those days when you don't have support from other people?
Chris Gatrell: yeah so i've got one one one backpack that can hold up to five liters of capacity not a big backpack and i i'm planning to send each hotel ah a smallish package that'll have a little bit of nutrition in some fuel i use voom nutrition and hyco energy drinks so again i'll i'll be sending those a little package out um in the next week or two asking them to hold that with up with a couple of a little bit of nutrition and then
Chris Gatrell: clothing wise i am also going to be asking the hotels to help out maybe with a little bit of washing in the evening and some of the hotels and then When I do have confirmed people, like I say, my dad's coming for a few days, my wife's going to come, we'll have complete kit changes for those days. But largely there'll be a couple of pairs of socks in my bag and maybe a a coat, waterproofs and some some minimal minimal lightweight gear that we can change into if the weather does change drastically, then I'll be covered. But yeah, largely we'll we'll look to wash things in the evening at hotels and hopefully heating will be on as it might be a bit cold outside. We'll dry things and we'll go again in the morning.
UKRunChat: Yeah, because it it's November as well, you know. it's It's rainy season, isn't it?
Chris Gatrell: It is.
UKRunChat: like Have you thought about how you'll cope with that?
Chris Gatrell: it is i look i quite like running in the rain i'm um quite like running the cold but yeah we have thought about it in terms of um i'm actually happy that the weather is turning at the minute and it's getting a little bit colder up north than in newcastle so i'm getting to test out some of the gear which i did start testing in january february march time although i wasn't running quite the distance so i think all the kits tested we're ready we've got some backups and again we've we've got some as i say when i when i meet up with some of the larger support crews and days that are planned they'll have almost emergency switch out kits that will will change up um and that will be a massive bonus and that's how i'm kind of breaking down some of the route as well after day three i get this and day five i get this hopefully to to help take my mind off things
UKRunChat: Yeah.
UKRunChat: Yeah. Yeah. It's a good way to kind of chunk it, I guess, isn't it? Yeah. So are you planning to run the whole thing in one pair of shoes as well, or are you swapping those out?
Chris Gatrell: Yeah.
Chris Gatrell: i have i've got some nike vomero premiums that got delivered the other day i've been utilizing those for my big run if anyone hasn't wore them they are very very big in the heel very very comfy and you
Chris Gatrell: probably struggle to run faster than them but the the cushioning is is unrivaled in terms of what i've been using do run in the night zoom fly sixes and i've done a lot of the training runs in those but yeah so i've got a new pair so i've i've worn them in they're fine so i'm going to try to do as much as i can with those as possible but i do have a couple of other spares and again they'll probably come with some of the bigger support crews to change out maybe for a day or two um but i'm hoping that they will see me through like as i said i've done
Chris Gatrell: 500 600 plus miles in a pair and like i say with with you not going too fast and and being on roads and tarmac paths and things that the tread has held together very very well to be honest i was quite impressed with how how well they've held together so i'm hopeful i can get the majority of them done in one pair
UKRunChat: Yeah, hopefully. and Fingers crossed for you. I think you're an absolute legend for... even attempting this, honestly. it's It sounds mad, but it'll be brilliant, I'm sure. and You're asking people to join you for the last section, aren't you? when you your kind of very final day
Chris Gatrell: I am. Yes, I am.
UKRunChat: in Newcastle.
Chris Gatrell: so ah Yeah, so i'll run I run back to Inverness and then I should admit I'm getting a sneaky train from Inverness back to back to Newcastle. And when I land in Newcastle train station, it's about eight miles, eight and a half miles from the train station back to where I live in Great Park. um So I'm asking people to get involved with the last leg of that route.
Chris Gatrell: I think I've got about 30 people so far have agreed to come. um There's a local -ish run club to me, Geordie Run Club, that will be there with some music and some people and a lot of my friends will be there. So again, we'll be looking to cover those eight, eight and a half miles.
Chris Gatrell: hopefully it'll be just a bit faster than a crawl but i'll probably take a couple of hours um And then when we get onto my estate where I live in in Great Park, there's going to be a last one mile run almost around the estate or through the estate and encouraging children to get involved in that run. My children go to school on the estate. and As I say, they're five and seven. So there'll be lots of their... friends and you know children and families who can hopefully walk or run the last mile of the route which should be a nice little feel across the the local community and then we've got a finish line event planned at the local community centre with food vendors and stalls and little arts and crafts things and and some things for the children to do as well so i'm hoping to get you know a really good bunch there Nice little local community feel. Everybody is more than welcome for any of it, all of it. And then to hang around for a couple of hours to to to see everybody would would be amazing.
UKRunChat: Oh. fantastic well if any listeners are local to newcastle hopefully they can come and join you can find all the details on chris's website we'll pop a link in the show notes so which bit are you most looking forward to chris
Chris Gatrell: I'm looking forward to starting. I think the all the build -up, all the talk, all the planning and everything and the support has been fantastic.
UKRunChat: Hmm.
Chris Gatrell: But I really just want to get going on on day one and mile one. That's the bit that I'm obviously looking forward to. um and naturally finishing but yes i think i really just want to want to start and then i can almost not forget things but that i can really just focus on the running whereas that minute over the last couple of months the planning has really taken over and I've been doing my best to...
Chris Gatrell: to to The running has been a nice... nice
UKRunChat: Yeah.
Chris Gatrell: Nice slide track for me.
UKRunChat: Yeah, you'll not quite know what to do with yourself over the next few weeks, will you, while you're waiting to start, I guess. Just pack and repack, I guess.
Chris Gatrell: Exactly. I'm un packed and repacked. The phantom niggles will start. I'll be thinking, oh, is my hamstring, is it is it is it playing up again? So, yeah, I'm really looking forward to just just getting down to Land's End and and working out where where day one starts.
UKRunChat: Yeah. And any any bits that you're you're kind of worried about at the moment or a bit nervous about?
Chris Gatrell: Yeah, a little bit when I get into Scotland. um that Naturally, you you don't there's ah there's a couple of days where there aren't many shops around where I'll be buying some food and getting some nutrition. And again, the terrain will change and it probably will get a little bit colder, maybe a little bit muddier. um So again, look we're going to have to assess and maybe change some plans en route. If I need to change footwear, if things do get a bit icy or snowy, then we've got some some almost off -road shoes as well that we might change up. So I guess as we get towards Scotland, and the plans may change depending on the weather. So I guess that that's not within my control at the minute. How we react to it definitely is, but they're the bits that I'm probably...
Chris Gatrell: They're not within my control, so I am a little bit more nervous when things aren't in my gift to absolutely own.
UKRunChat: Yeah, but I guess i guess that's the nature of a big challenge like this as well. like We can't plan everything perfectly, can we?
Chris Gatrell: Exactly, exactly. That's part of the fun, part of the challenge is we'll we'll get it done some way or other. But yeah, I guess they're the bits that I'm um probably a little bit apprehensive about.
UKRunChat: Yeah. So what's going to keep you going? when it gets really tough. What will be going through your mind?
Chris Gatrell: Yeah. Yeah, I think i think look if we if we talk about the charity, we've managed to raise over £5 ,000 already for Cash for Kids North East, which is a fantastic amount.
UKRunChat: Yeah.
Chris Gatrell: um We're hoping we can double that. we might be able to treble it but i guess look if if things do get tough and times do get hard which i expect they will do then i'll just be thinking about the charity and thinking about how much money we've already raised how much money we can continue to raise day by day um that will definitely be getting me through um i was there um at the christmas just gone when we're in the warehouse you know boxing up packing up
Chris Gatrell: presents for for for children and families who are less fortunate than us and struggling so again that that thought that we can fill that warehouse with so many presents you know on average it's about 50 pounds per child that will get some contribution support so if we think of the numbers and think of the monetary amounts then and and the awareness that will be raised through this run then that will definitely get me through some of the some of the challenging times for sure
UKRunChat: Yeah, are brilliant. Christmas fundraising for Cash for Kids North East. And we'll put all the details in the show notes if you want to find out where Chris is, if you want to get involved with kind of running with him for part of the route, helping him navigate.
UKRunChat: or just provide a little bit of support. um And I think you're also still looking for raffle prizes and things, aren't you, if people can support in that way.
Chris Gatrell: Absolutely. Yeah, we've we've got a really, really good prize list at the minute. i Everyone's been so generous. Local businesses have really stepped up and and offered support. um And we've sold over a thousand raffle tickets already. So people can buy raffle tickets. They can also donate any prizes and we'll be looking to do the draw. It'll either be. on the event on saturday the 28th of november or maybe just the day after so i can soak it all in a little bit and make sure i'm understanding them with it for that part of it but yeah like i say that if people want to get involved and offer up any any prizes or want to buy some raffle tickets then yeah we can we can post the links but yeah it's been a a really good uptake over the last week or so on that front
UKRunChat: Yeah, oh that's that's great that everybody's getting behind you on this. So yeah, do do get in touch if you can help. So the chat the challenge is called Chris Runs Christmas. And we'll post a link to Chris's website so you can find out more. And you can also follow Chris Runs Christmas on Instagram.
UKRunChat: um for updates will you be updating much during your run
Chris Gatrell: Yes, the plan is we'll do at least one or two updates throughout the day. I've got my wife who said she may help me as well. But yeah, we'll let's post a few stories, definitely get a couple of videos on. um I do want to try and enjoy some of the route. right i I'm never going to do it again. Well, I don't think I am, but I'm probably never going to do this again. So I want to try and enjoy the route, running through some nice parts of the country, take some videos. Yeah, definitely want to want to give people a an insight as to what it's like waking up in the morning, being out all day and what it's like finishing each day. So yeah, we will absolutely. be be hot on the socials throughout the day.
UKRunChat: yeah oh brilliant oh well thank you chris best of luck and do keep us posted with how you get on we'll be watching as well and hope the taper goes well and the legs hold up and I hope you raise a fantastic amount of money for Cash for Kids North East.
Chris Gatrell: Great stuff. Thank you. Thank you very much for having me on. Really appreciate it.
UKRunChat: Thank you. You've been listening to the UK Run Chat podcast. Until next time, happy running.
