Kent man Jonathan Broad sets hijmself arduous challenge each month of 2013
Jonathan Broad in the
2011 Spartan race in Redhill, Surrey
by Nicola Everett
A Kent man is set for a 'challenge of a lifetime' by competing
in a gruelling sports event every month during 2013.
Jonathan Broad has spent months planning a series of challenges
throughout the year, from half marathons to a 200-mile cycle
ride.
The 37-year-old operations manager from Borough Green is doing
it not only to raise money for charity, but also to raise
awareness of mental health issues.
He says: "It was something that I'd originally started to think
about in 2011 with the aim of doing 12 events in 12 months in 2012
but I picked up some niggly injuries which put paid to that
idea.
"But I decided when I got over those
problems there was no reason I couldn't do it in 2013 and spent the
back half of 2012 training hard and getting myself in tip top
shape."
Jonathan will start his sporting year with a 10k run in Bromley
later this month before competing in the Brighton half marathon in
February.
He has also signed up to compete in the Tour de Kent, a 200-mile
cycle ride around the county, and is hoping to do a parachute jump
in the summer.
It is hoped he will raise thousands of pounds for mental health
charity Mind.
He added: "I've got several friends and family members who've
had mental health issues in the past and what I've noticed is that
it's very difficult for them to talk openly about those issues.
"It's mainly because of the way their friends would see them.
There's a fear attached to it and I don't think that fear needs to
exist and this is my way of getting those issues out into the
open."
A rigorous training regime and cutting out drinking has left
Jonathan feeling in the best possible shape for the new year
resolution he says he won't break: "In all of the events I don't
intend to just turn up and plod around, I'm going to push myself as
hard as I can and do my best and perform as well as I can.
"I've got a training cycle that I go through and I've been doing
anything between 10 and 16 hours a week training for these events -
it's been a bit like having a part-time job really."
Jonathan's schedule
Jan 13: Bromley 10k
Feb 17: Brighton Half Marathon
Mar 24: Fast and Furious Duathlon
Apr 7: Paddock Wood Half Marathon
May 25-27: Tour de Kent – 200 mile cycle ride around Kent
Jun: BHF London to Brighton bike ride (TBC when registration
opens)
Jul: TBA (Possibility of parachute jump)
Aug 4: London Ride 100 – 100 mile cycle starting in London
Sept: TBA
Oct: Chilham Duathlon
Nov: Bexhill Poppy Half Marathon (TBC)
Dec: TBA
To support Jonathan, go to his charity
site or text MIND51 £(amount) 70070.
31/12/12
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