Crown World Climbs for Charity
The Crown World team are an adventurous bunch and this weekend saw a select group from the Spanish office scale new heights when they climbed Mount La Concha in support of a very close friend, Russell Soden, who is raising money for the Foundation for the Study of Infant Deaths (FSID).
Russell sadly lost his daughter Coral to cot death many years ago and the charity was instrumental in helping him get back on his feet and really making sense of the unfortunate situation. Since then he has been involved in many charity events to raise money for them including building a school in Ghana and climbing Mount Kilimanjaro (long before Gary Barlow and Cheryl Cole made it fashionable!!!)
This year both Russell and the charity have celebrated their 40th anniversary and in honour of this fact he decided to climb La Concha 40 times in 40 days.
To give you an idea of how impressive this feat really is here are some interesting facts in numbers:
-
1250 metres – The height of La Concha
-
20,000 – The average number of steps taken by Russell on each journey
- 11.5 Kilometres – The total distance on each journey
By the time he has finished, Russell will have climbed a total of 50 kilometres, taken 800,000 steps and walked 460 kilometres.
Sunday was his 20 ascent to the summit and the weather couldn’t have been better. The sun was shining and the gentle breeze ensured that we stayed cool and the views were crisp and sharp.
The group included several veterans of the climb but also some newbies. The pace was steady and the laughter flowed. An hour later the laughter had stopped and the grim reality of what was in front of us sunk in. The wide open path had given way to a steep, stony incline that fed its way through the trees before mercifully ending at a clearing.
It was then that we saw the summit and it still seemed like a lifetime away. Regardless, we soldiered on as the terrain began to resemble something from the movie Lord of the Rings and the backdrop became more and more scary. One false move could send you tumbling hundred of feet to gruesome limestone grave!!!
The group began to thin out as we slowly snaked our way up to the final ascent. Our route was now marked with the occasional mound of stones due to the hardening of the terrain below our feet. Gone was the well-trodden path to be replaced by sharp rock that offered a choice of routes. The brave could walk along the top of the ridge that offered the best views but the risk of being blown off by the strengthening winds and the rest could skirt around the edges.
All our concentration was now focused on the surefootedness of our next step rather than the direction we were heading which meant that the summit, when it came, provided both relief and elation in equal measures.
Eventually the whole group made it to the top and an impromptu picnic began with the bog standard sandwiches to the more exotic vegetable curry on offer. When the food was gone the photos began. The sight of Marbella and the surrounding areas are breathtaking with views being afforded as far as Gibralter. When the last photo was taken a sudden reality struck home……. we now have to climb back down!!!!
With thoughts of a refreshing cold beer waiting for us at the bottom we cracked on with a relentless pace tempered only by sore feet and parched mouths but eventually we made it.
When the finish line was crossed we could all go home to nurse our wounds. Only for one man it would all be starting again the next day, as it had done for the 19 days before this trip and as it will be for the 20 days after this one.
It is only as I am writing this blog that I can understand the effort and sheer bloody mindedness of the challenge he has set himself. It seems that others have come to a similar conclusion. He had initially aimed to raise £3,000 throughout the 40 days of climbing however at the half way stage he has already raised more than double that amount.
The Crown World team thoroughly enjoyed their time on the mountain and the fact that it was spent with such an inspirational man made it all the more worthwhile.
If you would like to make a donation to this fabulous cause then simply follow this link, http://www.justgiving.com/russell-soden0, and click on the ‘Donate Now’ button.