Three runners are set to take on an almost 120km race across the Alps this weekend to raise money for a Jersey domestic abuse charity.
Freeda supporter Thom Hennessy – who previously raised funds for the charity by running a marathon in the Antarctic – is preparing for an even tougher challenge: a 119km ultramarathon through the Austrian mountains featuring 5,700m of elevation gain.
Thom, who lives in Singapore, will run alongside friends Andrea Bonanomi and Leigh Martin. Although based overseas, Thom visits Jersey regularly, where his wife lives.
The trio will compete in the Mozart 100 race on Saturday 23 May. Starting at 5am, runners have 23 hours to complete the course.
Despite training in largely flat Singapore, Thom will face steep climbs and descents around the lakes and mountains near Salzburg – the birthplace of composer Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, from whom the race takes its name.
“We’re hoping to do it in 23 hours,” said Thom. “Obviously, the distance is a challenge, but so is the elevation – we’re not used to running hills.”
He added that one recent training run included just 25m of elevation gain, compared with the race’s total climb of 5,700m and a highest point of 1,700m.
“So I’m way off!” he joked.
Thom previously completed the world’s southernmost marathon in Antarctica with Andrea. The pair later teamed up with Leigh to find their next endurance challenge.
“We wanted to do something different to what we’ve done before,” explained Thom.
With the marathon-distance event already sold out, the friends secured places in the race’s longest category – 119km, the equivalent of almost three marathons.
The group is raising money for Freeda, which supports victims of domestic abuse and works to help prevent violence in the community.
“With domestic violence, it’s usually a man deciding how he is going to treat a woman,” said Thom.
“Whether consciously or unconsciously, they are making those choices. We all have a choice, and I hope we can help influence that thinking.”
DONATE…
You can sponsor Thom, Andrea and Leigh on JerseyGiving.
