A MAN from the Isle of Man is to raise money for a forces charity by swimming, cycling and running more than 1,300 miles in under 14 days.
Kit Alexander, 23, will be joined by his friend Hamish Allan, 24, and the pair are supporting the Coming Home charity by travelling home to London, where both now live and work, from the Italian island of Capri.
For the first leg of their mega-triathlon, they will swim half each of the 18-mile distance from Capri to Italy. From there they will cycle via the Swiss Alps from Naples to London where they will complete four laps of a 6.55-mile course specially set up to complete the marathon distance.
Kit, whose parents live at Blackberry Lane in Onchan and was a pupil at the Buchan School, said: ‘Although the idea of a fun-filled holiday to a desirable location like Ayia Napa, Zante or Magaluf seemed appealing, I thought it was time to do something more worthwhile with my time.
‘Although this may seem slightly overboard, I hope it grabs the attention of the public so that we can raise a significant amount of money for our cause.
‘I’m doing this to raise money for a worthwhile cause that helps a number of our wounded soldiers, disabled in action, lead a lifestyle with a sense of normality, which they deserve having risked their lives for our country.’
He said their action had partly been motivated by seeing the Paralympic Games last year.
‘The 2012 military Paralympians were extraordinary and reflect their remarkable achievements despite their traumatic experiences. I hope that with the money raised we can help contribute towards some of these phenomenal characters, whilst assisting them to lead as normal a lifestyle as possible.’
They hope to complete the swim doing stints of two hours each in under nine hours with a support boat. The cycle ride will take them to a height of 2,436 metres over the Furka Pass and along the world’s eighth and ninth most dangerous roads. Temperatures will peak at 35 degrees in Naples but the average temperature in the Alps is seven degrees. They aim to cover 100 miles per day carrying their own campaign and cooking equipment and clothes.
Kit and Hamish, who are both surveyors, have named the expedition The Italian Job 2013 and hope it will inspire people to donate as much as possible to the chariity.
‘After completing the trip we will have travelled through four countries, passed points as high as 2,436 metres, experienced temperatures of 35 degrees, and burned a whopping total of 85,000 calories - 34 days of the recommended daily intake for men. All with minimum washing facilities and sleeping in the close quarters of a tent!
‘We have done our bit now please do yours and donate.’
For more information, log on to their website at www.theitalianjob2013.co.uk
To make a direct £2 donation immediately, you can text ‘ITUK13’ to 70070.
