To attempt three and a half marathons in 24 hours
A LIFE member of the Chesterfield Canal Trust is to attempt three and a half marathons in 24 hours along its towpath and back.
David Smith intends to run 92 miles from Chesterfield to the Trent and back along the 46 miles towpath in under 24 hours to raise money for the Chesterfield Canal Trust. The photograph shows David with his wife Ann at an awards event.
For the 2027 Appeal Fund
He is raising money for its 2027 Appeal Fund that aims to complete the restoration of the canal by 2027 which will be the 250th anniversary of its opening.
He will set off from Chesterfield in the afternoon of 29th August, then having run through the night, he will be aiming to get back early on the Sunday afternoon.
A keen runner
David is no stranger to long distance running, nor to raising money for good causes. Already a keen runner, he moved to Chesterfield in 1994, and when looking for routes it wasn't long before he came across the canal towpath and began to use it regularly for training.
Back then it was just a grassy track, but over the years he has seen what a great job the Trust has done helping to restore the canal and the towpath.
After a while, various family events led him into fundraising and he started running to raise money for a variety of causes, most notably Ashgate Hospice and the MS Society; David’s wife has MS. Frequently he runs in fancy dress carrying a collection bucket.
Raised over £100,000
In 2014 David’s grandson was stillborn and this pushed him to a new level, raising money for two babies’ charities—SANDS and Tommy's. He has competed in events from 5K to 400K, raising over £100,000 in the process.
Everything was going well until coronavirus reared its ugly head and all events were cancelled. David carried on running in his back garden and later around Derbyshire but not raising much money.
He had always wanted to tackle the Cuckoo Way—the official name for the canal towpath. Running at 4 to 5mph it makes a great 24 hours challenge. Weather permitting, he will run in full Scooby Doo attire! David explains:
Canal fully restored
"Over the weeks of lockdown the canal has become a vital resource allowing walkers and cyclists to experience its beauty as they exercise. It's important we ensure the brilliant efforts of the Trust volunteers are allowed to continue so the canal can be fully restored for even more people to enjoy."
Of this venture, Trust Publicity Officer Rod Auton exclaimed:
“We were blown away when David got in touch with this incredible proposal. A few people have walked the full length of the canal in about 16 hours, but to run it there and back in a day is mind-boggling. We hope that the public will get behind David and contribute to our 2027 Appeal.
"It would be fantastic to see boats cruising into Chesterfield having come all the way from the Trent. We’d certainly like to see David on the first boat—hopefully it will have been an easier, but slower, passage!”
Full information
If you would like to support David, search for 'Chesterfield Canal Trust' to find the Trust’s website where you can get full information. Alternatively, you can send a cheque to the Chesterfield Canal Trust, Hollingwood Hub, 22 Works Road,
Chesterfield, S43 2PF.