13 September 2010
Capita Symonds’ Leisure and Event Safety team is providing health
and safety services for the Gumpathon which started last Saturday
(11th September).
The event sees five men from three of the world’s finest
fighting forces attempt to run coast to coast across America to
raise funds for injured servicemen and women on both sides of the
Atlantic. The team will run across 16 States, four time zones and
complete approximately 20 miles a day each, for eight weeks. What’s
more, one of the team is a triple amputee.
The Gumpathon aims to raise £1m each for three Service charities
- Help for Heroes and The Royal Marine Charitable Trust Fund in the
UK, and The Injured Marine Semper Fi Fund in the US.
This epic challenge is the brainchild of Colour Sergeant Damian
Todd of the Royal Marines who, after watching the film Forrest Gump
in 1994, thought that running across America seemed like an
interesting idea.
The runners will:
- Run 3,530 miles, on average 20 miles each per day;
- Complete the equivalent of 34 marathons each;
- Cross four time zones – Eastern, Central, Mountain,
Pacific;
- Run through 16 states – New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania,
Delaware,
- Maryland, Virginia, West Virginia, Kentucky, Tennessee,
Arkansas,
- Oklahoma, Texas, New Mexico, Arizona, Nevada and
California;
- Run through a total of 789 towns and cities;
- Climb ten mountain ranges: Blue Ridge, the Appalachians, the
Ridge-and
- Valley Appalachians, Allehegny, the Cumberland Mountains, the
Rockies,
- San Bernadino and the San Gabriel Mountains;
- Cross three deserts: Nevada, Arizona and Mojave;
- Get through 24 pairs of trainers, each pair lasting
approximately 500miles;
- Face minimum temperatures of 32°F and maximum temperatures of
120°F;
- Take in 3500 calories per day;
- Complete their longest day on Day 35 with 85.42 miles between
Cordell and Sweetwater, Oklahoma;
- Climb to a highest point of 7,527ft on Day 49 at the Grand
Canyon.