COMPLETING an around-the-Island walk, run or swim to raise money for charity has become common in Jersey…
But one Islander is going to new extremes by taking on the challenge in a VW Beetle-shaped peddle boat.
Bryce Alford, fundraising manager at Headway Jersey, is no stranger to extraordinary feats of endurance. Last year he completed the London Marathon in four hours and 37 minutes while dressed as a giant brain.
He has previously held the Guinness World Record for the fastest time run on a treadmill for 50 miles and 100km – completing the distances in eight hours and 44 minutes, and ten hours and 37 minutes respectively.
Mr Alford has raised close to £180,000 from his various challenges in previous years.
He said he had now ‘exhausted’ his running challenges and wanted to do something different to celebrate Headway Jersey’s 25th anniversary.
‘I thought to myself what can I do that is different that will cause the public to take note. I thought people run, walk, cycle and swim around the Island all the time, but what has never been done before? The idea of the pedalo came to me straight away,’ he said.
‘I spoke with some of the guys at Absolute Adventures who sorted me the pedalo and I have put the plans in motion,’ he added.
Mr Alford is planning to attempt the challenge on 2 July and is hoping to complete it in a time of between ten and 15 hours.
‘It is a two-seater so I am going to have a relay team of three guys who will take it in turns to peddle in the second seat,’ he said.
Mr Alford explained that he has already started training for the event with his longest session being an hour and 45 minutes out on the water.
‘I think this is going to be one of the toughest challenges ever both physically and mentally.
‘It is nothing like anything that I have done before,’ he said. To donate to Mr Alford’s challenge to raise money for Headway Jersey visit sportsgiving.co.uk/sponsorship/entry/649397.
